There's No Time In Forever
by AubriFalls
Summary: "No, no..." I rushed to him, ignoring the blazing mess around me. My brother was in pain. That was all I could see. "You are so much more, Ember." I reached out to him. I placed my hand upon his shoulder. I never imagined such a small gesture could have changed everything so drastically. (Sequel to The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway)
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

My name is Ida.  
I am not alive.

Ugh, wait... please let me explain that before you go around rolling your eyes and declaring that I'm some kind of socially unacceptable lunatic.  
My brother, Ember, would be facepalming if he were here. "Really, Ida?" He would say. "This is how you introduce yourself to complete strangers?"  
My brother is not here. No one is here.

You see, I was sent to the Land Where Time Stands Still.  
How long have I been here, exactly? I have no idea. I suppose it would be a valid argument to say that I have not been here for any time at all, being that there is no time here. I like that; I think I'm going to use it. I really do rather enjoy winning arguments. I miss having Ember around so that I might argue with him. We would always get into some rather "heated" discussions. It was such fun.

Here, there is no fun.  
Here, there isn't anything at all.

Everything is completely frozen.

I have gone back to my home more times than I can possibly count.  
Each time, everything is always the exact same as before.

Ember is stuck. His eyes are burning and angry. His hands and arms are flaming, completely out of control.  
My parents have halted in the doorway of the room Ember is in. Their faces are frozen in an expression of horror and fear as they look upon their own son.

I want so much to materialize between them and set everything right.  
If only I could have calmed my brother. If only I could have made him stop the fire.  
If only I could have one more chance to live in a land where time actually ticks on.  
If only I could have warned them.  
But I have been removed from this scene for all eternity.  
All I can ever do is watch helplessly as my brother drowns my home in flames. All I can ever do is watch as my parents look upon him with a look that brings remorse into my heart.  
All I can ever do is pray that they are all right.  
I cannot do a single thing to change anything.

Therefore, I do not visit my home any longer.

I have been walking the face of this tortuous land with no destination and no purpose; for how can one have a purpose in a Land Where Time Stands Still?


	2. Chapter 2

I have a strong belief that in order for one to understand the present, one must have knowledge of the past.  
How can I possibly expect you to comprehend my life here in the Land Where Time Stands Still if you do not have a complete understanding of how I got here?  
So, if I have your consent, I will proceed to tell you the tale of my life before all this time-stopping nonsense.  
I have your consent? Good.

Close your eyes and imagine this with me.  
You are a bird, soaring over the vastly magnificent landscape of the world.  
You flap your feathered wings, feeling the strength of the wind as you soar.  
Everything is so marvelous from up here.  
You scan from left to right, examining everything in your view. As a bird, the simplest of things excite you beyond measure. Everything that you see is a new discovery.  
You study every tree with awe, from the coniferous Pinus Sylvestris to the slender, silver-barked Betula Pendula.  
You fly on, over the rolling terrain.  
But, what is this?  
Nestled between two hills is a curious paradise of beauty.  
This paradise is a kingdom surrounded by a bed of lavish green grass and a mass of little, white flowers.  
This is my home, Vallaria Valley.

You need not be a bird anymore. I think I have gotten my point across. Unless you prefer being an avian; it is your choice.

I grew up as princess of this grand kingdom.  
I was not the heir, being that Ember was the firstborn son.  
I, personally, was all right with not succeeding to the throne. Power is highly overrated, do you not agree?  
However, there were many that desired that I take Ember's place in line. My parents were included in this "many".

You see, Ember was different from the rest of us; in more ways than one.  
Vallarians were all quite fair and pale. We all enjoyed greatly singing and dancing. We liked our gatherings and our celebrations. Vallarians cherished community.  
On the contrary, Ember was born with hair darker than night itself. He never sang, nor did he ever dance. He rarely made his appearance at our gatherings and hardly ever showed up for our celebrations. Ember treasured his solitude.

The people grew to dislike my brother with a passion.

I feel like there is a question hanging in the air.  
"Did you dislike Ember, Ida?"  
There, I put it out in the open for you.  
Oh, you wish me to answer it? You ask a great deal of me.  
I loved my brother.  
But I also knew something that my people did not.

My brother was burdened by an unnatural force.  
Ember had the ability to set anything to flame.  
I suppose I could say that Ember could control fire, however, I think it would be a more accurate statement to say that it controlled him.  
He struggled to no end with trying to contain and conceal this fire.

My parents looked upon him with shame.  
I had heard them say that Ember was cursed with this power. They had said that when Ember was born, Fate hiccupped, mutating my brother into a monster.  
I was not of the same opinion.  
I believed that Ember would rise to greatness.  
Fate never hiccups.

Now that we have all of this established, I would like to tell you about a highly important Vallarian custom.  
This custom is called the Day of Elinika. It is the ceremony celebrating the coming of age. Every Vallarian boy anticipated his Day of Elinika so that he might leave behind his boyhood and become a man. This day took place on his eighteenth birthday.

Ember was seventeen. Therefore, his Day of Elinika was approaching very quickly.  
This meant a great deal to our people. As I have already stated above, Vallarians liked their gatherings and they liked their celebrations.  
Celebrating their heir's Elinika was something very, very important to them.  
It was vital that this day go absolutely perfect.

Ember's Elinika would surely decide whether or not he would be fit to rule the kingdom. The Vallarians would hold their judgement until this day.

The palace was alive with a nervous buzz a great deal before this important day was to take place.  
We were all on edge, wanting desperately to know the outcome of the Elinika.  
Preparations were already being made. Planning was the main focus for all the servants.  
Flocks of servant girls were sent out into the Valley every day to gather more Convallaria for the ceremony.  
Convallaria, which was where our kingdom got its name, was our national flower. These were the white flowers that covered the expanse of our Valley.  
It was considered quite fashionable for the ladies of my kingdom to wear makeshift crowns of Convallaria. However, I always thought it was a dumb custom. Why would I wish to get pollen, pedals, and other such flowery filth caught in my tresses?  
The Convallaria also proved useful in decorating our ceremonies and celebrations ("useful" is a relative word, I suppose).  
If Vallaria Valley was planning an important event, there was bound to be hordes of Convallaria everywhere.

All of Valleria Valley was preparing for Ember's Day of Elinika.  
It dominated our every thought. It dominated the majority of what we did during the days preceding it.

On top of everything else, my parents decided that this was the perfect time to begin searching for a suitor for me. I was, after all, at the ripe age of sixteen.  
A strange prince would be arriving from the Southern Isles.  
His name was Prince Hans.


	3. Chapter 3

"Ida, dear!" My mother's shrill voice stung into my ears as she barged through the door of my bedchamber. "For Vallaria's sake, dear, get yourself out of bed, will you?"  
Yeah, she wanted me to get myself out of bed... for a prince. She wasn't joking either.  
She stood a few feet away from my bed, huffing and puffing, and tapping her foot impatiently.  
"Ida." My mother hissed. "Make haste! He'll be here at any time! Do you really want to meet him looking like that? No? I didn't think so. I need plenty of time to work my magic and make you beautiful."  
She always had a way with words.  
I groaned, and gradually made my body sit in an upward position. This was a move I instantly regretted. I never was a morning person.  
My golden hair was flopping around in every direction.

Some might think that if you are a princess, beauty just comes naturally. How can you possibly be a princess if you don't wake into natural perfection?  
I will openly laugh at you if you are one of these people.  
I am a person just like anyone else, therefore, I wake up just as groggy and disgusting as anyone else.

"Oh, Ida." My mother whined. "You look terrible. Come now, we must get you fixed up. I'll go send for Adelina."

Adelina was my maid. She was also a good friend to me.  
Did you actually think my mother was going to do any of the work?  
I will laugh at you, once again.

My mother glided gracefully out of my room. Good riddance. Did I say that out loud?

Kissa, my giant fluff ball of a cat, leaped onto my bed and made herself comfortable in my lap.  
She was immensely fat. I have no idea how she even managed to get herself onto my bed.  
I stroked her brown fur, feeling the vibration of her purr beneath my fingers.  
I never realized this until now, but I do miss Kissa greatly.  
"Meeeooow." She informed me. This was very useful information (yes, I'm being sarcastic. Mother always said that using sarcasm was a horrible habit for a princess).  
"You do not wish the prince to come, either?" I asked my kitty.  
She stared back, with huge, green eyes.  
"Do not worry." I consoled her. "You have my permission to scratch his eyes out if you find it to be necessary."  
"Meow."

Adelina cautiously opened my door. "Your highness?"  
"You may enter, Addie."  
She emerged fully into my room and shut the door firmly behind her.  
"Are you ready to prepare for the prince's arrival?"  
I sighed. "As ready as I will ever be, I suppose."  
Adelina made her way into my overly large closet. Why would one ever need a closet that large? My mother was never a practical woman.  
"Does my mother already have the 'perfect gown' picked out for me?"  
"Of course." I could tell she was trying to restrain a laugh.  
I heard her shuffling around.  
"Don't worry, though." Addie told me. "It's prettier than the last one. I think you'll actually like this one... or tolerate it."  
The last one... I'm not even going to get into that.  
Adelina resurfaced with a mint green gown in her arms. The gown seemed to be embellished with many Convallaria blossoms.  
I made a face. Kissa let out a loud "meow". Good kitty.  
"It is beautiful." Addie insisted.  
"It's just not me." I threw my hands up into the air out of frustration, which frustrated Kissa because I wasn't petting her royal self. "When will she understand that I'm not like her? When will she let me just be myself for a change?"  
"She's just trying to do what she thinks is best." This is what happens when your friends work for your mother.  
"Let's just get this over with."

I tried not to squirm too much as Addie went to work, laboring industriously over my wild hair. While waiting for the curlers to get heated up in the fireplace, she brushed through my hair about a million times, which was her best effort to get the tangles out.  
It always seemed silly to me to put so much effort toward something so trivial.

Finally, she was successful in taming the beast.  
My hair cascaded down my back in appealing golden curls. My mother would be pleased.  
"Wait." Addie stopped me as I was about to stand up.  
She held out a Convallaria crown to me.  
For real?  
I took the disdainful thing into my hands and regretfully placed it atop my golden locks.

Now for the frivolous dress.  
Addie helped me slip the mint green fabric onto my body.  
The dress was clearly a size too small.  
Mother, of course, did this on purpose.  
Addie spent a good deal of time trying to lace the dress up. She was finally able to get the dress fully on.  
The effect of the smallness of the dress was this; I appeared much thinner. This was important to my mother.  
However, breathing was much more important to me.  
I was not a large princess, nor was I an overly slender princess. I think my mother would have preferred it if I were the latter. I would've preferred it if I could breathe.

I stared at myself in the mirror before me. I could never recognize myself when mother made me do all this nonsense.  
"You look beautiful." Addie reassured me.  
That may be, but I don't look like Ida.


	4. Chapter 4

"It is time, my dear!" My mother grasped my arm and pulled me along with her.  
I stumbled like a complete klutz as she swept across the marble floor as gracefully as ever.  
She guided me into the royal throne room.

"Mother, please do stop tugging so." I complained.  
The Convallaria crown was slipping off my head from being jarred about. I pushed the dumb thing back on. I suppose it would have been all right if I had let it slide off completely.  
My mother, as usual, didn't listen.  
She continued to pull me along after her until we were amidst a small gathering of people. Some of these faces were familiar, some not so much.

"May I present Prince Hans of the Southern Isles." One of these unfamiliar faces announced.  
A young man with gorgeous, auburn hair came forth.

Thus I laid eyes on the most handsome man to ever walk the planet (or so I thought then).

"It is my pleasure, Princess Ida." He knelt down before me and placed a tender kiss upon my hand.  
I swore I was never going to wash it again.  
"The pleasure is all mine." I would've been satisfied looking at him for a while.  
"I have heard many wonderful things of you."  
"You... have?" I was completely lost in those eyes. Hazel, I think they were definitely hazel.  
"Of course." He laughed. It sounded like angels singing in the heavens. "I have been anticipating this moment for quite some time."  
"Me, too." That was a complete lie.  
I was just standing there, gawking at him like an absolute fool.

"We welcome you warmly to our humble kingdom of Vallaria Valley." My mother cut in. "I'm sure you are exhausted from your long journey. We shall permit you to retire to your room so that you might recuperate. I saw to it myself that your room be prepared to perfection. There is to be a ball tonight in your honor. We look forward to seeing you then."  
"And I look forward to seeing you, Princess." The prince looked right at me, into the depths of my eyes. I thought I would melt.

He was escorted off to his room, my mother calling after him to let the servants know if he finds himself in need of anything at all.  
I felt much disdain for my mother, being that she sent him away. I mean really? She spent all that time preparing so that I might marry him, and just when I felt that I might've had a connection... she sent him away. Good grief.

"He is perfect." My mother declared. I wasn't sure if she was talking to me or to herself.  
"Yes." I sighed, dreamily.  
She whipped her head toward me as though she had just remembered something highly important. "We must prepare you for the ball."  
I groaned.

So as I have spent the good portion of my morning getting pampered up, the afternoon was spent likewise.  
Somehow, I was slightly more cooperative this time around.  
Admittedly, I wanted to look my best for Prince Hans.  
I was much more agreeable and accommodating. I do believe Addie was wishing that I was more frequently as such. It made her job much easier.  
I found that when the time came to put the preposterous Convallaria crown atop my head, I didn't mind so much.

Ah, I see that you are judging me. You think that I was acting like a love-struck, little girl.  
I will agree with you wholeheartedly.  
We all make mistakes, now don't we?  
I had never experienced anything even remotely resembling this thing called "love", save for the kind one feels for their family.  
Prince Hans was the first thing that came around to sweep me off my feet, and I assure you, he was not the last.

I stood before the mirror for the second time that day.  
Every golden curl was arranged just so, every fold of the mint green fabric exactly right.  
Yes, I was wearing yet another mint green dress. This one was an elaborate ball gown, with layer upon layer of delicate fabric flowing down to the marble floor. The bodice was entirely covered with the white Convallaria, with only a few specks of mint green peeking through. The skirts of the dress were also dabbled with a few of the blossoms here and there. This dress was a size too small, as well.  
It was a magnificent dress, and it looked just as magnificent on me.  
I looked angelic.  
My mother would be pleased, as would Prince Hans.

It was now time for the ball.  
My mother would not be pleased if I arrived late.  
As I walked down the hall, making my way toward the castle's ballroom, I passed the library.  
Without even going in, I already knew who was in there.  
"I haven't seen him at all today." I muttered to myself.  
I doubled around and entered the library. 

The library was a large, dreary room. Shelf after shelf stood imposingly tall, rising up toward the ceiling. Each shelf was home to hundreds of books. What kinds of books, you might ask? All kinds; from books about mythology to history, science to religion.  
The library wasn't widely used, except for one person that I knew of.  
Ember was sitting on the floor in one of the corners of the room. He had piles of books surrounding him. He didn't seem to sense my presence, as he continued his reading. His face was totally engrossed in the words.  
I cleared my throat. His head lurched up from the book.  
"Oh Ida, it is only you."  
"Yup, only me."  
"You look as beautiful as ever." He gestured to my gown. "Is there a celebration tonight?"  
"Uh... yeah." I replied. "You know, the prince from the Southern Isles... he's here."  
"Ah."  
"You could always come down for a while." I urged. "You are... you know... invited." Expected, actually.  
"I have... work to do." Ember looked back down to his reading then. His gray eyes scanned the page, lost in another world.

I left him and went to the ball.  
Mother scolded me for being late. 


	5. Chapter 5

Convallaria were all over the ballroom. They were in strands, looping around the columns surrounding the dance floor. They were in large, white ceramic vases; these vases also had Convallaria flowers painted onto them. They were on every Vallarian gown. They were on every lady's head in a halo of Convallaria. In short, they were everywhere.  
My mother wasted no expense on this event.

All of the nobility from our own kingdom and from others nearby were invited.  
My mother intended to make a lasting impression on Prince Hans.  
I admit, at the time it never even occurred to me how odd it was that my mother was trying to make our kingdom seem impressive to the prince. It would never be his anyway, even if he were to marry me. The crown was to be Ember's.  
I should have known then, but my mind was elsewhere. Mostly, it was on Hans.

I was standing around rather awkwardly, watching the other couples dance. They danced with grace and poise.  
I wasn't a terrible dancer, but I always felt as though I had two left feet.  
My mother tried time and time again to improve me in this area. It proved futile.  
I was clumsy (I still am).  
When one is a princess, that is never a good thing.

Prince Hans approached me.  
I'm sure the excitement showed on my face all too well.  
"Hi!" I greeted him.  
"Princess Ida." He acknowledged. "You look breathtaking."  
"Oh really?" I did a sort of girlish giggle here. "Well, my dress is too small so I can't breathe either... wait... I mean... I... thank you."  
He laughed. I liked it because he wasn't laughing at me, it was more like he was laughing with me. I also liked it because it still sounded like angels.  
"Would you care to dance, Princess Ida?"  
"Dance? With me?" I fumbled. "Yes, of course!"

Prince Hans guided me out to the center of the dance floor, which was where a marble Convallaria flower was embedded into the ground.  
He took my hand in his, and wrapped his other arm around my waist.  
He began twirling me around on this marble flower, his hazel eyes gazing into my own green ones.  
It felt like love was a door swinging itself wide open.  
...And then I tripped and stepped on his foot.  
"I'm so sorry!" I shrieked, horrified beyond measure. I mean, how embarrassing was that?  
"No, no, the fault was mine." Ever the gentleman, taking the blame. "Perhaps we should take a break?"  
We totally had just started dancing, but never mind that. I agreed and allowed him to escort me off the floor and over to the refreshments table.  
"Chocolate!" I exclaimed, but then felt self-conscious by my outburst.  
"Chocolate is one of my personal favorites." Prince Hans said.  
If my heart had been a chocolate bar, it would've melted then.  
We pigged out.  
It was the most wonderful thing in the world to be around someone who wasn't criticizing me for eating too much.  
Prince Hans understood me better than anyone else I knew... or so I thought.

Once we had filled ourselves to capacity, he led me outside, away from all the stuffy party guests.  
The night was calm and clear. The fragrance of the Convallaria flowers came in with the wind from the Valley. Personally, it made my nose itch, but I guess most other women found the smell to be romantic.

We walked around the palace grounds, through the little Convallaria garden. Why we needed a garden of the flowers when our whole Valley was filled with them, I will not pretend to know. I suppose it looked nice.

"These flowers are quite beautiful." The prince remarked. "Just as you are."  
Butterflies fluttered around in my heart.  
"I know we have only just met today," he went on. "But I feel as though I've known you my whole life."  
"I feel the same way!" I exclaimed.  
"Do you?" His eyes glittered with excitement.  
"Yes!" I responded. "I like how you get me. No one else does. Not my mother, not my father, not my brother... I mean, he does, but he's... distracted."  
"The heir to your kingdom?" Prince Hans inquired. "I've heard many 'interesting' things about him."  
"He's a wonderful person." I sighed. "He's just distracted..."  
"I have twelve brothers at home." The prince laughed. "I only wish they were distracted."  
We laughed together.  
He made me feel so wonderful.

"What is your favorite color?" He asked me.  
No one had ever asked to know anything about me before. It's ridiculous, but I didn't even know the answer! My mother always chose what colors I would wear.  
"I..." I trailed off. "Not mint green."  
"Then we are in agreement." The prince said, playfully. "But, any color you choose to wear would undoubtedly look brilliant."  
"What about you?"  
"The exact shade of green in your eyes."  
I was nothing more than a melted pile of chocolaty goo.

"What is your favorite food?" He questioned.  
"You first."  
"No, you."  
We both cracked up laughing.  
"Sandwiches." We said, simultaneously. That sent us into even more fits of laughter.

The wind tugged at the fabric of my dress, making my golden hair fly in every which direction. It swirled around Prince Hans and I, carrying it's flowery fragrance with it.  
It knocked my Convallaria crown from my head. Prince Hans caught it.  
He placed it back atop my messy tresses, which had lost their curly perfection.

"Can I say something crazy?" He took my hands in his. It had felt so right.  
"I love crazy." I answered, slyly.  
"Will you marry me?"  
Marry him? I was taken aback momentarily. I regained my composure quickly.  
I had thought that I knew exactly what I wanted for my life.  
"Can I say something crazier?" I asked, a flirtatious edge to my voice. "Yes!"  
What I thought I wanted was Prince Hans.  
I will be the first to admit that this was a terrible choice.  
I would learn very quickly that what I wanted in life was not Prince Hans at all. 


	6. Chapter 6

My mother was ecstatic.  
It brought her great joy to know that her matchmaking plot was successful far more promptly than she ever expected it to be.  
She gave me an overly big hug and cried a river of happiness.  
It irritated me and it got splotches all over my ugly dress.

Father shared my mother's joy.  
If you ask me, he was indifferent.  
He mainly went along with whatever my mother wanted. I suppose I could relate to him in that respect.  
He gave me an affirmative nod and went on with his life. He probably was more pleased to know that my mother got what she wanted than he was to know that I was getting married.

Ember had a completely different opinion, altogether.  
"You're what?" When I told him, his head jerked up from his book as fast as flint can make a spark in a fireplace.  
"Getting married..."  
"To?"  
"Prince Hans."  
"Vallaria's sake, Ida!" He cried out. "You just met him!"  
"I know, but I feel like I've known him much longer." I tried to reason with him. Surely, Ember would understand. He had to; he was my brother.  
"You can't just marry someone after knowing them for a day." His voice had a heat in it. His eyes were burning intensely.  
"Yes, I can." I replied, defiantly.

He stood up from his corner of the library. He towered over me, glaring down at me with frustration.  
"I can make my own decisions." I snapped. "I'm not a child."  
I turned on my heel and left him standing there.  
I felt betrayed. I felt like the only one in the entire land who understood me was Hans.

Ember's Elinika was drawing nearer with each passing day. I feel like I'm stating the obvious with that one because that's just plain logic. Theoretically, if a day were to pass, an event in the future would be getting closer. That's just how it works. I think we all know that.

The wedding was to be held sometime after this event.  
My mother insisted that it was because she was swamped with all the Elinika preparations. I mean, how could she possibly be expected to plan for both a wedding and an Elinika? She does do all the work, you know (that's sarcasm, again).  
I never thought twice about it. I was too preoccupied with Hans to think about anything intelligent.  
Perhaps it should have occurred to me how suspicious it was to wait until after the Elinika to hold the wedding. Perhaps it should have, but it didn't.

While everyone else was freaking out about the Elinika, I spent all of my time with Hans.  
We went on walks and horseback rides. Sometimes we would just sit around and talk. Sometimes we would enjoy a nice meal together.  
One day, He even convinced me to go out into the Valley with him to pick Convallaria for Ember's Elinika.  
It was an enjoyable outing, much to my chagrin.  
He would throw petals into my face and make me sneeze. That was mean; don't laugh. Never mind, I laughed, too. He always seemed to be making me laugh.

My life felt like a dream; a wonderful dream.  
I was excited for my future with Hans.

The Day of Elinika was now only a few short days away.  
Everyone was on edge. Even the flowers seemed to be shaking with anticipation.  
I was on my way to meet up with Hans, gliding my way through the palace, still not as gracefully as my mother.  
I think he was wishing to go walk around the village that day.  
I loved how he enjoyed being amongst my people. I loved everything about him, really.  
I reckon I was probably in the middle of thinking about how much I loved Hans, when I rounded a corner and bumped into someone. I mean this literally.

Whack!

We both fell to the ground.  
I struggled to regain my footing, but kept falling back down in my haste to get up.  
"I... I... am so sorry!" I fell onto my backside, yet again.  
However, he seemed to be struggling as much as I was.  
"No... the... the... fault is my own." He was successful in getting back on to his feet.  
He gazed down at me, as I was still flailing on the ground like a lunatic.  
I was able to notice at this point that the man was actually incredibly attractive, but not in the conventional way.  
I felt heat creeping up my neck. Goodness that was an embarrassing moment.  
"Uh... let me help you." He offered me his hand.  
I stared at it dumbly for a minute. I took hold so that I might get up and end that ridiculous scene.  
It backfired.  
We both fell down again, his body crushing onto mine.  
His face was inches from my own and it had a very surprised expression upon it. I'm sure my own was similar.  
"I... I..." The man stammered, jerking himself back up again. "So... sorry."  
I managed to get to my feet, as well.  
"Uh... me too." I brushed out the wrinkled fabric of my skirts, more with the intention of preoccupying myself than to actually fix anything.

"I'm... my name is Espen Klokke. " He introduced himself formally.  
I took a good look at him then.  
He was an interesting fellow.  
I would've guessed he was around my age, perhaps a few years older.  
He had kind eyes, which is something I believe to be quite unforgettable.  
His dirty blonde hair was smooth and satisfying, except for one chunk on the side that didn't seem to want to stay in place. It stuck straight out.  
Everything in me wanted to reach out and smooth it down.  
He was tall and gangly.  
As I have already stated, he was attractive in the most unconventional way.

"I am Princess Ida of Vallaria Valley," I curtsied.  
"Oh... Oh!" Espen faltered. "You're... the princess!" He bowed deeply and clumsily. My mother would have been horrified. I found it to be even more endearing.  
"Yup." I nodded awkwardly. "You're not from around here, are you?"  
"Um, no." He answered. "Quite the contrary. I'm from a distant kingdom. I'm a clockmaker."  
"Clockmaker? How incredibly fascinating!"  
I could imagine Espen sitting in a workroom alone, laboring over various pieces and gears. It fit him well.  
"I'm glad you think so." Espen replied. He was gazing at me; I suppose I was gazing at him.  
He reached into his pocket and began fishing around for something. "Here's some of my work." He pulled out a quaint, little pocket watch and placed it into the palm of my hand.  
It was charming.  
It was also remarkably beautiful. The craftsmanship was quite impressive, although I cannot claim to be an expert in this area.  
There was an intricate design engraved into the gold of the timepiece. There were words etched into it.  
_Skjebne hinsides tid._  
It was completely foreign, yet mysteriously alluring.  
"You are talented." I looked up from the delicate watch.  
"Thank you." He smiled. His smile was as kind as his eyes. "I hope your mother agrees with you."  
At my questioning look, he said, "I am here seeking work. I have been traveling all over the land."  
"Well, don't get too hopeful." I told him, still holding onto the pocket watch. "She doesn't agree with me about anything."  
"That's a shame."  
"Indeed."

I reached out to return his watch to him.  
"Keep it." He insisted.  
"I... thank you." I didn't know what else to say. I continued gazing into his eyes, him gazing into mine, feeling a strong connection between us.

That was when I remembered that I was engaged.  
I also was supposed to be with the man I was engaged to at that very moment.

I never saw Espen again.


	7. Chapter 7

Thereafter, something felt off about Hans.  
At the time, I felt great shame because I thought I was being unfaithful to him. I mean, one guy went walking by and I was totally over my betrothed? What was that all about?  
However, as I have come to know more, I realize now that this was my naive self learning a little bit more about love.  
Love has a sincerity to it.  
Espen was sincere.  
Hans was not.  
Remember, in my story, I do not yet know this. I merely felt despair that my love for Hans was dwindling.

It was the day prior to the Day of Elinika.  
As I'm sure you can imagine, everyone was rushing around as if they'd lost all sanity. In my mother's case, she never had any to begin with, but let us just keep that between you and me.  
A blanket of Convallaria fragrance was hanging thick in the air. I could hardly breathe. It was disgusting.  
The flowers were EVERYWHERE. The ball couldn't even come close in comparison.  
I'll tell you a secret; I actually threw a few of the blossoms out amidst my frustration.  
Trust me, nobody missed them... except for my mother.

I hadn't spoken to Ember since our little squabble, which had been several weeks ago.  
I know, you are thinking that I am childish. "Come on, Ida! You really stopped talking to your brother over that?" Why, yes. I did.  
I finally came to my senses and decided to end my silence.  
I went to talk to him.  
I was sure he needed encouragement for his Elinika the next day.  
I made my way across the palace, through the many winding corridors, and into the library.  
As always, Ember was sitting is his corner, captivated by his reading.

"Uh... hi." I spoke, feeling awkward standing there in the practically deserted room.  
He glanced up at me briefly. "Yes?"  
"Well... your Elinika is tomorrow." I chewed at my lip. "Uh... yup."  
"I know." He sighed.  
"Are you nervous?"  
He slammed the book shut and looked up at me. "You know what I want more than anything?"  
I shook my head.  
"I want so much to make our parents proud."  
"You do?" It never seemed as though Ember cared about much of anything. He was always too preoccupied.  
"Yes." His gray eyes had a sadness burning within them. "But I don't want anyone to get hurt."  
"Hurt?" I brushed it aside. "No one's going to get hurt. It's just an Elinika." Just an Elinika? Ha! Maybe I should have asked my mother if it was 'just an Elinika'. I was stretching the truth, but I was trying to calm my brother's fears.  
"I need to leave, Ida." Ember was still clenching that book of his, holding onto it as if it were as precious as life itself.  
"Leave..." What nonsense.  
"Leave Vallaria Valley." He stood to his feet, an intensity rising in his voice. "I've read every book that is to be found. There are no answers here."  
"Ember..." I had to get the boy to use his brain. He'd clearly gone off the deep end.  
"Are you even listening to me?" Ember yelled suddenly. His eyes were flaming. It actually was scaring me. "I need answers, Ida! I can't just wait around here disappointing everyone that I know because I can't control my powers! I can't do it!"  
"You're the heir to the throne!" Fine, if he wanted to yell, then so could I.  
"I KNOW!" He flung his book across the room at me. It landed at my feet and burst into flames, disintegrating in seconds.

All I could do was stand there and watch it, both terrified and shocked.  
Ember backed away, muttering something desperately under his breath. "Conceal. Don't feel." I think that's what it was.

My brother had just thrown a flaming book at me. I was mad.

"That was lovely, Ember." I snapped at him. "I know you're never paying attention to anything that goes on around here, but I hope you know that if everything doesn't go exactly as planned tomorrow... you're going to lose the throne. And... I think our parents would be all right with that."

Remembering the pained expression in his eyes just now makes me feel the most devastating stab of remorse. Why was I so stupid? Why had I said that?

I left him there, just like that.  
His body was hunched over, completely defeated.  
I had told him his worst fear. I'm sure he already had suspected it was so, but I told it to his face. He was not desired to sit upon the throne; not by our people, nor by our parents.

I went out into the Valley.  
I could have asked Hans to come with me. I'm sure he would have.  
I didn't, for I wished to be alone.  
There were still a few servant girls scattered across the expanse of the green grass collecting last minute Convallaria for the Elinika.  
I think it would have been fine if they stopped gathering the flowers and did something much more useful for humanity. I said nothing of the sort to any of them.  
I minded my own business and strolled through an unused section of the Valley.  
It was ridiculous how the place where the Convallaria grew was significantly less fragrant than the stench that had settled into the palace.  
Despite my distaste for the flowers, I still found my Valley to be beautiful.  
I do not know that I necessarily hated the Convallaria. I just found my mother's overuse of them to be gaudy.  
I could never have imagined the Valley without the Convallaria.  
They made the Valley what it was.

There is a valley, sweet and strong  
It grows both green and white  
The grass grows fertile, lush, and long  
The flowers are quite a sight  
Indignantly, I hear one say  
"We care for this lovely area."  
Gracefully, they swing and sway  
"We are the Convallaria"  
This is their valley, sweet and strong  
A breathtaking sight to see  
It is where the flowers do belong  
They belong here just like me.


	8. Chapter 8

The Day of Elinika had finally come.

I was donned in a tacky chartreuse dress, which was made specifically for the big event. Apparently my engagement hadn't been enough to dissuade my mother from tampering with this aspect of my life.

I was supposed to be heading to the throne room, which looked like a complete disaster, if you asked me. I was able to sneak a quick peak.  
Convallaria had been scattered all over the marble floor, so much that you couldn't even see the floor! I think my mother got ahead of herself.  
She brought the Valley to the throne room.

I made my way around the castle.  
I suspect its many winding halls and stairways would've left most people in befuddlement, however, I'd lived there my whole life. I knew that castle as I knew my own hand.  
Upon making it to my desired destination, I peered into the throne room, not yet wishing to enter.

There was a whole crowd of people, packed in tightly with hardly any extra space. Any additional room there might have been was filled in with Convallaria blossoms.  
The room reeked. It was as though every woman in the entirety of the kingdom had bathed themselves in perfume.  
I found myself having difficulty breathing; this was from both the flowery fragrance and the size of my dress. Thank you mother; both of those things were your fault.

Almost everyone was there… everyone except Hans and Ember.  
These were probably the two most crucial people to me.  
I also found it strange that my parents did not appear to be there yet, either. Perhaps I just missed them when I was scanning the room. I doubted my mother would've been late to Ember's Elinika.

I made my mind up to search out Hans.  
He was probably in his bedchamber.  
This was of no inconvenience to me. I knew exactly where his room was.  
I swept down a hall, up a flight of stairs, down another hall, took a right, and voila!  
Hans' door was shut, declaring to all the world to leave him in peace.  
Do I seem like the kind of person to leave someone in peace?

I marched up to his door, preparing to barge in and freak the poor man out.  
That was when I heard him talking.  
That was when everything changed.

"I've got that silly princess wrapped around my finger." Hans' voice wafted through the door. "Everything will go exactly as I have planned it to be. Her weak older brother is of no concern. He will be out of the picture, I will marry Ida, and then I will dispose of the entire royal family. I will rule Vallaria Valley. I will be king. That foolish princess has practically handed over everything that I have ever wanted."

I could hardly breathe; it was not because of my dress or the Convallaria.  
Hans was not at all who I had thought he was.  
How could I have possibly been so terribly dumb and naive?  
My vision was blurry. I worried that I might black out.  
No, I couldn't. I had to stay alert. I had to warn my family.

I dashed away from Hans' room.  
I dashed back the way I came.  
I dashed left around the corner, I dashed up a hall, I dashed down a flight of stairs, and I dashed through a corridor.  
I ran, desperately, back to the throne room.  
The people were growing restless.  
Ember was nowhere to be found.  
Where were my parents?  
Where was Ember?  
I had to find them!

I whirled around, away from the throne room.  
I made my way to the library.  
Maybe, just maybe, I would've found Ember there.

I was so focused on reaching my goal, I almost didn't smell it.  
I almost didn't, but I did.  
What was that?  
I stopped dead in my tracks, sniffing the air.  
It wasn't the Convallaria.  
It was something much darker. It was something much deadlier.  
The smell was familiar in the worst way.  
It was smoke.

I changed directions, darting toward this new development.  
Where there was smoke, there was bound to be fire.  
Where there was fire, there was bound to be Ember.

I charged into what once was Ember's bedchamber.  
The whole room was ablaze.  
Flames were rising, devouring every ignitable object it could possibly grab hold of. Smoke was swirling up to the ceiling and around the room, searching for a soul to suffocate with it's toxic fumes.  
I could hear the intensity of the heat. I could hear it's angry crackling reverberating throughout the room.  
The fire meant business; it wished to overtake everything and everyone.

Ember was running around the room, trying desperately to get his powers under control. The sounds coming from him were almost inhuman. It had been the sounds of complete and utter heartache.  
He couldn't conceal it.  
Flames were shooting from his hands, exploding out into the room.

"Ember!" I cried out to him.  
He jerked his body away from my voice. A startled fireball launched in my direction. It went wide and slammed into the already scorched wall.  
"Stay away from me!" He yelled. His eyes were wild and fierce. I could scarcely recognize him.  
"You need to calm yourself, Ember!"  
Fire continued to erupt around the room.  
"They said I was inadequate! Incompetent! Useless!" Fireball after fireball sprung out from his hands. "You were right." He moaned in agony. I saw tears glistening on his red cheeks. "I heard them."  
"No, no..." I rushed to him, ignoring the blazing mess around me.  
My brother was in pain. That was all I could see.  
"You are so much more, Ember." I reached out to him.

I placed my hand upon his shoulder.  
I never imagined such a small gesture could have changed everything so drastically.

My parents came rushing to Ember's room just then.  
They had outrage written all over their faces.  
Their son had set the castle on fire.  
He had totally lost it.  
He was cursed from birth. He was only the result of a shameful hiccup.  
This was their proof.  
Their eyes bared into him with an anger that was quite unimaginable.

That was when I disintegrated.


	9. Chapter 9

The Land Where Time Stands Still is a peculiar place, as I'm sure you can imagine... or perhaps you can't.  
In this land, both the sun and the moon rest up in the sky, neither one willing to set.  
There is no night. There is no day.

I remember waking to the lively chatter of the sun and the moon.  
"I'm sure you recall my cousins, Deimos and Phobos?" The moon inquired of the sun.  
"You have many cousins." The sun remarked. "I have no recollection of any of them"  
"You're so self-centered."  
"Everything does revolve around me."

I rose up from the ground.  
Where was I?  
I allowed my eyes to wander around the strange land.  
It looked so similar to the land I had come from, yet there was something that stood out.

Ah, I knew what it was.  
There was not a single movement to be found.  
There was no breeze playing in the leaves of the Betula Pendula.  
There was not even the smallest of rustles in the Valley grass.  
There was not one Convallaria petal drifting away into the sky.  
Everything was still and lifeless.

Everything excluding the boisterous conversation between the sun and the moon.

"Oh, she is awake."  
"Hush yourself." The sun scolded. "You know the rules."  
"Someone is going to break them eventually..."  
"Well, it isn't going to be us."

I peered up at them.  
"Excuse me?" I called to the heights of the sky. "Do you know where I am?"

"Do tell me about your cousins." The sun blatantly ignored me.  
"Ah, Deimos and Phobos." That was to be the beginning of a very long tale, in which the moon told of his cowardly cousins.  
I do not recall any of the story now, save for the verses that went with it.

Deimos was the dreaded one  
Phobos was the coward  
They both had work that needed done  
Fate to them empowered  
To guard, to care, to overlook  
To ensure that all was well  
This honor they begrudgingly took  
Why they did? I can't quite tell  
Deimos was the fearsome one  
Phobos was not as much  
The work was easy to get done  
Deimos would not be touched  
All who came near left quite fast  
No one dared to mess with him  
But could this fear of Deimos last?  
There was a secret that was quite grim  
Deimos was the one they feared  
Phobos was the one they mocked  
For, Phobos dreaded all who neared  
As did Deimos; we all were shocked  
Deimos was not the dreaded one,  
Deimos was a coward  
They both had work that needed done  
But all they did was cower.

It was a tragic tale.  
I probably had pushed all recollections of it as far into the back of my mind as possible.  
It was depressing, distressing, and dismal.  
That was what I endured during my first many moments in the Land Where Time Stands Still. How many moments? I do not know. I suppose I could argue that it hadn't been any moments at all. How can a moment pass in a land where there is no time? Have we been over this? I do believe we have.  
Whenever I say that "moments" or "time" has passed, let us keep in mind that it actually has not. It is just the best expression I can use to describe how being in this strange land feels like an eternity.

After this gloomy tale had been told, I tried to get the sun and the moon to talk to me. This proved to be futile. They would not be shaken.  
I determined to journey through the Valley, so that I might see if I could locate my home.  
I believed it was here somewhere. Everything else looked so familiar. Could it have been possible that my kingdom was still here?  
I labored through the tall, green grass and through the white Convallaria.  
For how long I traveled, I know not (should I go on about how there is no time again? No, perhaps not).

There it was, just a speck in the distance.  
I knew it was my kingdom! I just knew it!  
I ran with all my might.  
I would be home and this would all have been just a terrible dream.

"She won't like what she finds, will she?" I heard the moon as I sprinted through the Valley.  
"I should think not." The sun agreed.  
What wouldn't I like? I longed to ask them, but I already knew I would get no response.  
No matter, I was almost there. Once I got through those doors, I could put all of that behind me.

As I'm sure you have already figured out, because you are much more clever than I was, I would not be moving on quite as easily as I had hoped. I would not be moving on at all.

Everyone was frozen.

I stepped cautiously across the marble floor of my home, my footsteps echoed throughout the cavernous room.  
"Hello?"  
No one made a single move. No one flinched even the slightest bit. No one acknowledged my existence. No one so much as breathed one breath.  
What was this?  
What was going on?  
Why were they stuck like this?  
I carefully stepped around all the statues of my people. They still made no movement.

I had to get to Ember's room.  
I ran the whole way.  
I was desperate to get there.  
I had to see it for myself.

At last, I arrived.  
The sun and the moon were all too correct in their predictions.  
I did not like what I saw.  
My parents were still standing in the doorway of Ember's bedchamber.  
They still had their looks of distain, their looks of absolute hatred.  
How could a parent ever look at their son in such a way as that?  
Ember was still standing in his room, his eyes flaming, his face red, and his arms burning with his fire.  
His room was still ablaze. His walls were still singed and graying.  
The smoke was still wishing to intoxicate the Earth.  
Nothing made a single show of motion. Nothing made a sound.  
There was not a crackle, nor a spark.  
There was not a hiss, nor a sizzle.  
There was not a flash, nor a flicker.

There was only my furious parents and my fiery brother.  
I would never see them move again.  
I would never know what would happen beyond this moment.

If only I could have calmed my brother. If only I could have made him stop the fire.  
If only I could have one more chance to live in a land where time actually ticks on.  
If only I could have warned them.

I can see that there is a question.  
"What did you do, Ida?"  
What did I do? That is a good question.  
I did what any grieving sister would do.

I went to the library and read every single book on every single shelf.  
How long did this take me, you ask?  
Silly you, there is no time in the Land Where Time Stands Still.


	10. Chapter 10

I had a great deal of "me time".  
It was a great deal too much.

There was never any night, nor was there ever any day.  
Time stood still in a monotonous nothingness.  
I read books, listened to the sun and the moon argue, and looked longingly at my family.  
With all of the time (or the lack there of), I was able to look back on the last few weeks before the Elinika and even on the Elinika itself, when everything went wrong.

I was able to look back with a clear mind.  
This meant that I found things out using the power of logic, which was something I wasn't using very clearly during my love-struck time with Hans.

What I was able to discern was this: Hans was obviously evil. I heard his plan from his own mouth. He was plotting to woo his way to the crown. Once he had accomplished this, he would've done whatever it took to get rid of us.  
My mother and father never intended on letting Ember have the throne. My personal belief is that they were hoping beyond all hope that the Elinika would go wrong. The Elinika did indeed go wrong, however, it went all too wrong. I was supposed to be there when it went wrong. I wasn't supposed to be the actual part where it went wrong. I was suppose to wed Hans immediately after the disastrous Elinika. I was supposed to be the one sitting on the throne next to Prince Hans. I was supposed to be ruling Vallaria Valley alongside my new husband.  
Did my mother know the truth about Hans? Was my mother secretly working with Hans? My mother might have been one of the most excruciatingly annoying people, but I do not think she saw anything in Hans except for a handsome, charming prince. My mother was much too shallow to have seen anything else.  
Besides, Hans had said it himself; the entire royal family would have been disposed of.

What use was that information? None at all.  
I was able to feel slightly clever.  
That cleverness was short-lived. I felt foolish for not knowing about Hans sooner.  
I prayed with all that was within me that my family would be all right.

I couldn't stand being in the castle with them any longer.  
The books had all been read. It was time to leave.  
I never returned.

I set out into the Valley. I walked and walked. I had no destination, no purpose.  
I tried to block out the sounds of the sun and the moon. I wanted nothing to do with them.  
They would not talk to me; I would not talk to them.

After I had walked for what seemed like an eternity, I let myself tumble onto a bed of grass.  
I lay there on my back, staring up at the unusual sky.  
I hated how there was no night or day.  
I hated how there was no time.

Time.  
Remembering something important, I reached into the pocket of my chartreuse gown (yes, this was the lovely gown I was to spend the rest of forever in).  
I pulled out Espen's golden pocket watch.  
The hands were stuck. Neither the big, nor the little hand dared to shift even the slightest bit.  
I ran my fingers across the words that were written upon its gold finish.  
_Skjebne hinsides tid._  
I felt more secure with the trinket in the palm of my hand.

Tick tock, tick tock  
Holding a golden clock  
It never tocks, it never ticks  
Never a different time to pick  
It never moves, it never shifts  
Never a different time to drift  
Tick tock, tick tock  
Holding a golden clock  
Never a change, never a switch  
Not a single hopeful twitch  
Never a stir, never a slip  
Not the slightest loosening grip  
Tick tock, tick tock  
Holding a golden clock  
It never tocks, it never ticks  
Never a different time to pick  
It never changed, it never did  
_Skjebne hinsides tid_  
Tick tock, tick tock  
Forever holding my golden clock

At last, we have reached the end of my story.  
I am stuck here in the Land Where Time Stands Still.  
I have no hope, no future.  
I merely have a pocket watch, the sun, the moon, and a determination to get home so that I might save my family.

"So what is the point, Ida?" You might ask.  
The point is that I intend to make my pocket watch tick again.  
One way or another, I will get home.  
I ask that you will join me on my quest.  
I know that it seems futile, but what do I have to lose?

"Where do we start, Ida?"  
Oh? You wish for me to have a plan?  
Plans are exceedingly organized.  
Do I seem like the kind of person who is exceedingly organized? Most likely, I do not. Your conclusions do not offend me in the slightest bit.  
However, I do indeed have a plan.  
Do you wish to know what it is?  
My obstinance has run its course.  
I am going to get the sun and the moon to talk to me.  
Are you judging me? Do you have a better idea? No? I didn't think so.


	11. Chapter 11

They say that the mind is significantly weaker when distressed with emotional suffering. Who "they" would be, I will not pretend to know. "They" must be very wise.  
Because of this fact I have spoken of, it would seem logical that one would be more willing to unload their grievances on an absolute stranger.

My plot to get the sun and the moon to acknowledge me may seem like a complete waste of time, but it seems as though a great calamity has befallen the two orbs.  
It may seem positively sinister of me, but I fully intend to use this to my advantage.  
The mind is significantly weaker when distressed with emotional suffering.  
They will talk to me.

"The poor blizzard." I hear the moon sniffling above me.  
"It is, indeed, a shame." Even the hot-tempered sun is upset.  
This is my chance.  
"If you don't mind me asking," I break through their mourning. "Who is this blizzard you speak of and what has befallen him?"  
The sun and the moon exchange glances.  
"Don't you dare talk to her." The sun orders the moon. "I will not have you ending up the same as the blizzard, you hear?"  
"But she doesn't mean any harm..."  
"Perhaps not, but only harm will come of it."  
The sun has his mind made up. The moon looks down at me longingly.

Do you know what the best way to gain favor with the moon is?  
You do not? Ah yes, the moon doesn't speak in your world, does it?  
I will educate you.  
The most effective way to gain favor with the moon is to talk to him about his own stories. It brings the moon great happiness to know that you were paying attention to his long, industrious (and rather boring) tales.

"Deimos was the dreaded one  
Phobos was the coward  
They both had work that needed done  
Fate to them empowered"  
I sing the entirety of the verses up to the moon.  
The moon is delighted beyond measure.

"She was listening!" The moon exclaims.  
"Oh, brother." The sun rolls his eyes.  
"You do not have to say a word, but I am going to talk to her." The moon decides.  
The moon speaks to me, his words falling down like moonbeams. "You wish to know of the blizzard?"  
I nod.  
He sprinkles a pinch of gleaming moonlight down upon me. It tickles and nearly makes me sneeze. I am able to restrain myself.

It feels as though I am seeing a memory.

I can make out a young woman. It looks as if she is nothing more than an ice sculpture... is this possible?  
She is in the midst of mountainous terrain. There is snow pelting her relentlessly. She must be so cold.  
"Is that it then?" I hear her cry out to the gray skies above. "Am I out of time?"  
"Do you wish to be?" The voice is coming from the clouds. It is surprisingly soft, like falling into a padded pile of snow.  
"Of course not."  
"I will permit you to have one more moment in the real world." He says.  
"Thank you." The frozen girl's voice is choked with tears. "That is kind."

"She never returned." The moon brings me back to reality (if this place can even be considered reality).  
"She was supposed to have been sent here for the rest of eternity." The moon goes on. "But the blizzard had compassion and allowed her one more moment so that she might say farewell to her beloved.  
Her beloved saved her, and she never returned."  
"What became of the blizzard?" I inquire.  
"The Wizard Fate tried to reason with his brother, the Time Keeper. For the Time Keeper is the master of this realm. All things within it are his to control and his alone.  
The Time Keeper would not listen to his brother. He punished the blizzard by imprisoning his snowflakes."  
"I suppose he can hardly call himself a blizzard now, can he?" The sun cuts in. He spits his words out with a heated anger.  
"Where did the Time Keeper hide the snowflakes?" I question.  
The sun answers this. "I reckon he keeps them in his tower."  
"Where might I find his tower?"  
The sun sputters out a fiery laugh. "And why would I tell you that? Do you honestly think I wish to get on the Time Keeper's bad side so that he takes away my light and makes me look like that dimwit?"  
"Did you just call me a dimwit!" The moon shouts, clearly insulted.  
"The only reason you glow at all is because of me." The sun states, matter-of-fact.  
"Now that is not true-"  
"Yes it is."

"Enough!" I cry up to them. Vallaria's sake, what nonsense!  
They quiet their clamorous argument. They each look upon me, as silent as the sun and moon should be.  
"If you tell me where the Time Keeper's tower is, I will set the blizzard's snowflakes free." I bargain. "I ensure you that no harm will come upon either of you."  
"Empty promises." The sun accuses.  
"I trust her." The moon declares. "Besides, if she can help the blizzard then I will not be the one to hinder her."  
"All right, all right." The sun relents. "Have it your way."

The moon's voice rises out, clear and determined. "To get to the Time Keeper's tower, one must manually maneuver a clock's hands so that they point exactly to midnight.  
There is a rhyme that must be sung, it goes as follows." He sings a short verse.

That's it? I have to change the time to midnight and sing a simple song?

"This rhyme can work for anywhere one desires to go within the boundaries of The Land Where Time Stands Still." The moon explains.  
"This is only, of course, if one were to have a clock." The sun scoffs.

I reach into my pocket and pull Espen's golden watch out.

The sun says no more.

Holding the little trinket in my palm, I gently push the delicate hands on the timepiece, my fingers brushing against them tenderly. I guide the hands so that they point precisely to twelve o' clock midnight. My voice rings out, repeating the words the moon has taught me.  
"Horologi etatis  
My wish upon the clock is  
That to the Time Keeper I might go  
Before too late; aliquando  
Midnight destined time it is  
Horologi etatis"


	12. Chapter 12

A white light flashes. It engulfs me with its colorless power.  
For a brief moment, I worry that I might be dead. This, of course, is an absurd thought because I am already dead.  
The whiteness fades away and I find myself standing on the ledge of a... clock tower?  
Yes, it is indeed a clock tower. How queer.

I am a good several hundred feet up. I look down below into the foggy haze of this strange place. All I can see for miles and miles is water. The ocean is eerily still.  
There are gray clouds blanketing the entirety of the sky.  
The clouds are gloomy and dismal.

The clock tower has a gleaming silver finish. When looking at it at just the right angle, it gives off a rainbow of colors. This iridescence is a rather marvelous sight, even I must admit.

As much as I would love to stand here and study the inspiring architectural structure of the tower, I would much prefer to find a more stable place to position myself.  
I am very high up and there is not much space at all for my feet on this pitiful ledge.

I am standing adjacent to the clock's glorious face. Neither the minute hand, nor the hour hand show any intention of moving.  
I walk along the ledge, one hand braced against the face for balance.  
I continue along until I reach the corner of the tower. There is more ledge along this side of the tower, as well.  
At the end of this wall, I can see that there is a large, metallic door. As I get nearer, it becomes far more imposing.

This is the Time Keeper's clock tower.  
Vallaria's sake, what am I doing here?  
This is ridiculous. I'm only going to doom all of us, the sun and moon included.  
What do I possibly think I can accomplish here?

But what can I accomplish if I walk away?  
My family is in danger.  
I need to get home so that I might warn them about Hans.  
I won't let Hans get away with this.

I have to speak with the Time Keeper.

_There's no time in forever  
No time to set things right  
There's no time in forever  
Not a single moonlit night  
I know there is no tomorrow  
So the choice is mine to choose  
Since there's no time in forever  
Nothing's here to lose.  
_  
I am at the Time Keeper's door.

I hesitantly reach my hand out to knock.

I bet he's old and cold-hearted.  
I imagine the Time Keeper in my mind as an ancient man. He is probably exceedingly wise. Undoubtedly, he will have a long, white beard and a balding head covered by a pointed, blue hat. He will have many wrinkles, declaring to all the land of his age and wisdom.  
He will be fearsome, frightening, and formidable.  
He is the Time Keeper. What else could he possibly be?

My knuckles pound against the metallic solidity of the door.

I will be lying if I say that fleeing is not in consideration.

The door swings open suddenly, with a loud creaking sound.  
I find myself staring into violet eyes. I use the word "violet" loosely as the color of these eyes are far more intense than any word I could possibly come up with. They are mesmerizing.

"What are you doing here?" A whimsical voice comes from the man with these eyes.  
He is young. He does not look to be much older than I, but it is so very hard to tell.  
His skin is pale and flawless. It glows with an unearthly radiance. There is not a single wrinkle to be found upon his face, not even where it might have crinkled around the eyes.  
His hair is smooth and straight. It hangs down to his shoulders and frames his angel face as a glossy curtain of perfection. His locks are silver. As his tower has a prismatic glimmer at specific angles, his hair does this likewise.  
He is clad in purple robes and has a worn book grasped tightly in his left hand.  
He is a celestial picture of perfection.

"Uh... me?" I respond. I tear my stare away from him and look in every direction to see if anyone else happens to be around. He couldn't possibly be talking to me, right?  
Never mind, no one else is here. He's talking to me.

His violet eyes bare into me, never blinking and never wavering.

"I... was just... out for a walk." I say, lamely. "Thought maybe I'd stop by. You know... to be friendly."  
He grunts.  
"Er... who are you?" I ask.  
He rolls his eyes. "I am the Time Keeper."

It couldn't be, could it?  
The Time Keeper is... this guy?  
He's not old at all! He's handsome, quite frankly.

"Oh."  
He raises one of his perfect, silver eyebrows. He proceeds to study me. This makes me exceptionally uncomfortable.  
"That is a terrible color." He states, bluntly. He gestures to my chartreuse dress.  
"Oh..."  
He grunts.  
"You know... I'm nearly falling off of this ledge." I tell him. "It might be... pleasant... if I were to come in. Just for a short while."  
He grunts again.  
He turns and disappears back into the unknown depths of the interior of the tower.  
He leaves the metallic door gaping open, so I assume this means that I have his consent to enter. If not, then I suppose I shall find out soon enough.

I cautiously step into the tower. Is it ludicrous that my first thought is that there is a trap door, ready to send me into a pit of darkness and doom?  
There is no pit of darkness, nor one of doom. There is no trap door at all.  
The tower is separated into different rooms by many large gears scattered in strategic locations.  
I note that there are many shelves with many more books. Ember would have loved this place.  
A dim, blue light shines over the rooms, emitting an eerie glow. It makes it difficult to see clearly.

I notice that I have already lost the Time Keeper in this strange tower.  
Where did he go?

"Time Keeper?" I call out uncertainly to the emptiness beyond.  
I hear movement behind me. I spin around. It's the Time Keeper.  
He stands before me, his pale skin gleaming a light blue color due to the lighting.  
He is a figure of intensity and authority.

"You may call me Etias," His violet eyes make me catch my breath. "Ida."


	13. Chapter 13

I run my fingers along the shelves of books, letting the cold, metal material soak into my fingers. It's unnaturally smooth.  
I skim the titles of the books.  
I desperately hope that I might read them and know of the secrets they possess.

"Did you write all of these, Etias?"  
He is sitting several feet away from me, engrossed in that ancient book he has had in his hold all along.  
He looks up and scowls at the collection of volumes. "No. Those were all written by my brother, Fate."  
I sense some family tension.  
"This here is the book I have written." Etias gestures at the worn book in front of him. "It far exceeds all of those combined."  
"I would love to read it sometime-"  
"I think not." Etias snaps, slamming his book shut and grasping it protectively against his chest. A little territorial, are we?  
He stands, still clenching the book defensively. "You may read as many of those books as you please. The knowledge in them is safe for you to learn. But this book here is not to be touched."  
I nod, solemnly.

Now, one might ask, "Are you going to leave the Time Keeper's secret book alone?"  
This is a very good question.  
Do I seem like the kind of person who would let a forbidden book lie at rest, when it is just under my nose? No? I suppose not.  
I fully intend to read this book.

"Now," Etias shifts the book into his left hand. "Why have you come?"  
"I have come to ask that you let me-"  
"Return home?" Etias interrupts. "No. I will not bend the rules of time. Do not ask this of me again."  
I have nothing to say to this.  
"Now, who told you how to get to my tower?" He questions.  
I have nothing to say to this, either.  
His violet eyes become fierce with irritation. "Do you not think that I don't know all that goes on within my own realm?"  
He already knows of the sun and the moon.  
"Please, don't hurt them." I beg.  
"I must punish those who go against the rules."  
"I made them do it!" I insist, my voice rising in desperation. "Punish me in their stead."  
"Are you not aware of what happens when nature goes against the rules of the realm? If all were to rebel against me, all would surely fall apart." He turns away, exasperated. "Punishments must be given out so that everything remains in balance."  
"Punish me!" I latch onto his arm, pleading with him.  
He yanks himself away.  
He is quiet for several moments, then he speaks. "What would you suggest this penalty be?"  
"Have me stay here in the tower with you as your prisoner for all eternity."  
Etias looks me in the eye. I see something strange gleaming within the violet depths. Is that... loneliness? It flashes and is gone as quickly as it came.  
"As you wish." He dips his head in acknowledgement.

"But," Etias pauses. "You must give up your pocket watch. There is to be no more teleportation going on. You will remain here without exception."  
I must give up Espen's watch?  
I reach into the pocket of my chartreuse gown, reluctantly retrieving my beloved timepiece.  
I run my fingers over the words before relinquishing the trinket.  
_Skjebne hinsides tid_.  
I drop the golden watch into the Time Keeper's waiting palm.  
He holds it there, momentarily studying it. He runs his fingers along the very same words I just did.  
"Do you know what they mean?" I ask, hopefully.  
"They mean nothing." Etias spits out with an unexpected heat.  
"They must mean something!" I argue.  
"No, it is absolute foolishness that means nothing." He appears to be... offended by whatever it is that is engraved on Epsen's little watch.

With that, he encloses the pocket watch in his fist and walks over to one of his many shelves. This shelf is not filled with books. On the contrary, it has a single music box upon it.  
Etias sets down his precious book so that he might fish around for something in his own pocket. Ah, it is a key.  
He unlocks the music box, opening it so that there is a crack just big enough to slip the pocket watch inside.  
I almost think I hear high-pitched screams coming from the box, but that would be preposterous, would it not?  
"Stay, little flakes." Etias whispers, clicking the little box closed.

Oh, I see. Etias just placed my treasured pocket watch in the same place as the snowflakes I vowed to release.  
Considering the fact that I already have to free the snowflakes, I suppose I just might have to retrieve my timepiece while I am at it.  
This is rather convenient, do you not agree?

Etias makes sure to scoop back up his cherished book before leaving me alone.

As Etias' prisoner, I stay here in the clock tower.  
I stay here and read books, but only the ones that aren't forbidden, mind you.  
I wait and wait, ready to pounce when the time is absolutely perfect.  
I intend to free the snow. I intend to get my watch back. I intend to read Etias' book.  
I have a rather long to-do list.

Whenever Etias is near, he spends most of his time reading with me. He never touches any of Fate's books and always reads his own special one.  
He hardly ever talks to me, and I hardly ever talk to him.  
He disappears quite frequently. I assume he is tending to "Time Keeper" business.  
He always takes his book with him. He never fails to do this.

My opinion of him?  
He is a powerful, bitter soul.  
He likes his solitary life, yet seems to desire companionship.  
He is not cruel, nor is he friendly.  
He is wise, yet his wisdom cannot grasp anything beyond the rules of time.  
I doubt he believes in anything remotely resembling "love".

Having studied him for however long I've been here (it feels as though it has been ages, but I suppose it hasn't been anything at all), I think I am catching on to Etias' weakness.  
Etias, the great Time Keeper, has a hole of loneliness in his heart.


	14. Chapter 14

I read about Grand Pabbie, a great leader of trolls. The book claims that his clan is hidden in a place called the Valley of the Hidden Rock. The trolls have the ability to morph themselves into rocks, making it very difficult to locate the mysterious clan. Grand Pabbie himself is said to have vast knowledge and remarkable powers enabling him to heal. Being a shaman, he has the capability to cure spells and curses. Since all of these books were written by Fate, I surmise that all that is within them is true.  
Could Grand Pabbie help Ember?

I read book after book, expanding my knowledge and finding more hope for Ember.  
This hope is useless if I cannot get it to him.

The most interesting knowledge comes from a book about nature and the unnatural abilities given by Fate to specifically chosen individuals.  
Fate says this on the topic:  
"Nature must be balanced in order for life to go on harmoniously.  
Ice cannot rage on in an unrelenting blizzard. Fire cannot burn everything to ashy remains. Water cannot pour until all is drowned. Wind cannot blow until all is knocked down.  
Likewise, if there is an element living inside a human being, one cannot expect to live their life in harmony when there is no balance. A balance must be found."

Balance?  
My mind wanders back to Ember's blazing room.  
It had been so hot.  
The walls had been moaning in agony as the blistering pain overtook them.  
The marble floor had been screaming for relief as the flames licked with it's scorching saliva splattering everywhere.  
I remember Ember's sweat-streaked, red face.  
I remember my own body recoiling at the unnaturally high temperature.  
Wouldn't it have been so irresistibly wonderful if a winter's snowstorm had blown into the room in that moment? Completely impossible, but would it not have been nice?  
Balance.  
Fire's polar opposite.

I suppose you might remark, "All right, Ida, we all know that Ice is the opposite of Fire, but what does this even mean for you? You're dead."  
Yes, this is a setback, I will agree with you.  
How can I possibly be expected to sit here in the Land Where Time Stands Still when I have all of this knowledge here that could help Ember... if Hans hasn't already hurt him.  
Just sitting here thinking about it has got me feeling jittery and anxious.  
I must make my move. I must do it now.

The Time Keeper has been gone for quite a while. I reckon he should be getting back soon.  
I leave the tower and allow myself to sit on the ledge outside, my feet dangling down towards the water a great distance below.  
The clouds surrounding the great clock still appear as depressed as they had been when I first arrived.  
The air is cold and bites into my skin with a fierceness I never imagined air could have. It is like an untrained puppy, gnawing at it's owner. Vallaria's sake, could someone please come train the air to have better manners? (That was only partially a joke.)  
"Do you speak?" I call out to the gray clouds above.  
They do not respond.

I stay this way for quite some time (oh my, not this time thing again). It is just me, the silence of the clouds, and the biting of the wind.  
I admire the tower's prismatic display.

At last, I hear the metallic door of the clock tower creak just the slightest bit.  
Etias pokes his head out; a mass of smooth, silvery tresses.  
"Why are you out here?"  
"It says nothing in our agreement that I cannot be out here." I tell him, matter-of-fact. "I have not left the tower."  
"I suppose not..."  
He emerges fully onto the ledge. He shuts the door behind him with a definite thud.  
He allows his body to slide down next to mine and lets his legs hang down as mine are.  
I can feel his warmth. It battles against the chill of the air.

"How was your day?" I inquire.  
"Nonexistent."  
Oh, right. There aren't any here.  
"Er... never mind."

He studies me with his intense, violet eyes. It makes me as uncomfortable as the day he did this when we first met.  
"You are cold." He says simply.  
I was hoping you'd notice, Etias.  
"A little." I say, tactfully. I wrap my arms around myself, allowing my body to give in to the trembling it desires to do.  
Etias watches me carefully, scanning over my shaking body with those purple irises of his. I can sense some conflicting emotions within them.

He takes off his own cloak and settles it around my shoulders.

I will be totally honest with you and you will probably never have any respect for me ever again.  
I am using him.

However, I was not planning on the irresistible scent of his cloak. I wasn't planning on the cloak being so warm, having been heated by his own body. I wasn't planning on those beautiful eyes moving me as much as I was hoping to move him. I wasn't planning on feeling anything for the embittered Time Keeper.  
Etias is so very near at this moment.  
I am having trouble breathing. Since I have been in this ugly chartreuse gown ever since I arrived here, I guess I can still blame my lack of oxygen on this. I will not. I cannot breathe because of Etias.

He continues to examine me.  
I avoid his gaze.

Right here in his pocket is the one thing that will help me get back everything I have sworn I would get back. Right here is the key to unlock my every desire.  
Why is it so difficult for me to just reach in and take it?

Because I'd be betraying him...

Thought after thought battles against one another in my mind.  
_"He's the one who keeps you here. You owe him nothing."  
"Look at the way he stares at you, how can you go against him?"  
"You vowed to release the snowflakes."  
"He is a lonely soul, why would you break the bond that has been developed?"  
"Espen's pocket watch..."  
"But what about Etias?"  
"What about Hans?"_

_"What about Ember and the rest of your family?"_

This thought wins out above all the others.  
The last time I chose love, I endangered my whole family.  
If I hadn't been so blinded, maybe things wouldn't be as they are right now. Maybe my family would be safe. Maybe I wouldn't even be here.  
Do I think Etias is a two-face like Hans? No, I do not. If anything, I am the two-face.  
Etias is standing in the way. I must push him aside.

I take the key from Etias' violet robe.  
He doesn't notice, as he is far too busy studying me.


	15. Chapter 15

I've felt guilt gripping my heart ever since I stole Etias' key.

I sit in my usual spot, wedged in the corner of two book-laden shelves.  
I bury my face into a book, hoping beyond all hope that the guilt isn't showing.

After that little scene there on the ledge of the clock tower, Etias led me back inside into the warmth.  
Donned once again in his purple robes, he sits a few feet away from me, reading with me as he usually does.

Why do I feel so much guilt over this?

I glance up at Etias.  
His face is set in a concentrated expression, his eyes shift back and forth over the words he is reading.  
He is so beautiful. I know, I know, it's pretty weird to call a man "beautiful", but this is the only word that I can use to describe him to you. Hans was handsome. Etias is nothing at all like Hans. Etias is enchanting and mesmerizing and truly angelic. He is beautiful.

He slams his book shut and stands.  
"I must be off." He declares in his curt manner. "I won't be long."  
Etias leaves me in the tower alone.

I am smart enough to know that I must use the key now... right now. I must use it before he discovers that it is missing.  
Without a doubt, it won't be long before Etias reaches into his pocket and finds that the key isn't there.  
I shutter at the thought of Etias' wrath upon me.

Trying to overcome my guilt, I rise up from the floor and put my book back on the shelf in it's proper place. Do you think Etias shall cut me a pinch of slack for my orderliness? I should think not, but it's worth a try.  
I take a few slow steps in the direction of the music box.

I can still turn back...

No, I cannot. I must do this.

My pace becomes more definite and determined.  
I reach the music box.  
I pull Etias' key out from where I have concealed it in my own pocket.  
The key glints rainbows of colors.

I can still turn back...

_No._

I slide the key into it's slot in the music box. It fits perfectly.  
As I turn it, the shimmering iridescence grows more pronounced.

_Click!_

The music box is unlocked.

I slip the key out of the keyhole and set it gently on the shelf.

I grasp the exquisite music box firmly in my hands.  
I can make out many faint, high-pitched screams coming from within.  
Shifting the music box into my left hand, I use my right hand to lift the lid open.

A blast of snow flies up into my face. The flakes swirl up and around the room, carrying a bitter cold along with them. They scream their many cries of exhilaration into my ears, causing me to have concerns about hearing loss.  
Around and around, the mass of snowflakes flutter and flurry. They tangle themselves in my hair and pull on the chartreuse fabric of my dress; I can only assume that they are thanking me for setting them free.  
"You are welcome." I tell them, hoping this will calm them down and make them stop fussing over me.  
I am met with even more unearthly screams.

The metallic tower door swings open, knocking against the wall with an angry thud.

"What is this!" Etias yells.  
His violet eyes burn into me, melting away every bit of coldness I might've felt. His eyes look lost and betrayed. I can see so very clearly the loneliness that lies within them.  
Why did I go against him?

The snowflakes shriek out their cries of terror. I have to cover my ears to shield myself from the sound.  
The flakes fly together, forming a mass of icy crystals. They glide past Etias and out the door, into the expanse of the Land Where Time Stands Still.  
Etias panics. He tries desperately to stop the snowflakes from getting through, but it is of no use; they are gone and they are free. He tosses down his book, freeing both his hands. He goes out after the snow.

Etias is furious with me.  
I can already feel his wrath searing through my heart.  
I feel the guilt overtake my insides. I nearly fall to the floor to retch.  
I am able to restrain the urge to vomit.  
How am I able to control myself? My eyes wander over to the other side of the room.  
Etias' book is left unattended only a few short yards away from where I am standing.

The music box is still in my hands. It is not yet entirely empty.  
Espen's pocket watch lies at the bottom of the ornate container.  
I scoop it out, carefully, and set the music box back in it's original position atop the shelf. Once again, do you think my neatness will win me any points? I suppose I have lost too many to ever win them back.  
I clench the timepiece in my hand. I am reunited with my precious trinket.  
_Skjebne hinsides tid._

I brush away the grief and remorse.  
I stride across the room and take Etias' forbidden book into my hold.  
It is old and worn. I am deeply intrigued because it seems that the longer I stare at this ancient book, the more marvelous it becomes. I can make out many gleaming white gemstones that have been embedded onto the cover. It is peculiar that I have not noticed this before. These gemstones have a prismatic glimmer just as everything else in the tower and even as the tower itself.  
I run my fingers along the beauty of it.

After I have enough time to take it all in, I allow myself to open the book and enter into this world of new knowledge.

The script is an elaborate cursive, written in a shimmery ink that I have never experienced before.

_"Within the pages of this book is the knowledge of the Time Keeper. It is a knowledge known specifically by the Time Keeper and by him alone.  
Time is necessary for the existence of human life. Without it, all would fade away into a world where there is no time at all. However, the power of time is a dangerous power if it falls into the wrong hands.  
If the one who reads these secret words is not the Keeper of Time, it is not wise that these words be read, for it will upset the balance.  
If the page is turned, there is no turning back."_

Do I seem like the kind of person that would close the book and walk away with my hands clean of wrongdoing? I feel like by now you probably know my character better than this.

I turn the page.

All at once, I feel something powerful rush through my body. It goes through my lungs and swirls up into my brain, creating an understanding of things I never even knew were possible.

I look up from the book.  
I am surrounded by moths. They are suspended in the air around me, as still as stone itself.


	16. Chapter 16

_"Ticker-Moths are the creatures that determine one's time.  
All human beings have their own designated Ticker-Moths.  
As long as one's Ticker-Moths flutter around, orbiting their designated human in their usual manner, that human's time is ticking perfectly in the human world where time ticks on.  
However, if the Ticker-Moths halt in their paths, the human's time stops likewise.  
This usually happens in cases involving unnatural forces.  
When a human dies, it most commonly happens in a normal manner, thus they are sent on to another world where they may rest in peace. This is not always the case.  
On very rare occasions when an unnatural force hinders the balance, the Ticker-Moths will cease their fluttering and their human's time will merely stop instead of being sent on to this peaceful world.  
Unnatural elements cannot result in natural deaths."  
_  
Ticker-Moths?  
I examine the insects that have frozen in their orbits around me.  
The moths have powdery white wings, yet they have the same characteristic prismatic glint like everything else around here.  
Squinting, I can see minuscule gemstones embellishing their fragile wings, not unlike the ones adorning the cover of Etias' book.  
I read on, skipping ahead a few pages.

_"Ticker-Moths can be communicated with just as anything else can be if given the right knowledge.  
They must be spoken to in a manner as soft as their wings, yet in a voice firm and decided. Ticker-Moths are very sensitive creatures, but they will ignore anything said without authority."  
_  
I must make haste. Etias will be back at any moment, I'm sure of it.  
I skim the pages trying to find more information on how to convince the  
Ticker-Moths to fly again.  
If I can succeed in doing this, I can return to my home!  
I can have another chance to live in a land where time actually ticks on.

_"Use caution when associating with the moths, as they tend to get attached. They are very captivating creatures. As relationships with the Ticker-Moths develop, they start to communicate to you more. Their whispers are mesmerizing.  
Precautions must be taken so that they do not overcome you and your mind."  
_  
I flip through more pages, skimming with desperation.  
There it is!

_"Advising a Ticker-Moth is a simple matter. You must simply make your request known to the moth.  
The most difficult part is the tone of voice that must be used. As spoken of in previous chapters, you must speak to the Ticker-Moths in a soft, but authoritative voice. You do not wish to fluster the moth's spirit, yet you do wish to gain it's attention.  
After one has successfully communicated with a Ticker-Moth once, it becomes much easier thereon after.  
Each time a Ticker-Moth is communicated with, the bond between the individual and the moth becomes stronger. If it becomes strong enough, verbal communication will no longer be necessary, as the moths will be able to communicate with you through your thoughts."  
_  
I'm out of time (I suppose I have been since I first came to this land).  
I slam the book shut.  
I look around at the little moths. There are eight of them, speckled in the space surrounding me.  
How hard can it be to communicate with a moth?

"Uh... hi." I say, awkwardly.  
Obviously, nothing whatsoever happens.  
"Can you flap... or something?" I inquire. "Do moths flap? Or is that just a bird thing?" Actually, this is a good question. I fully intend to locate a book on entomology.  
The Ticker-Moths remain unmoving.  
I try to reason with the moths. My attempts are rather pitiful, even I will admit to this.  
The moths do not flinch, nor do they flutter. They do not twinge, nor do they flitter. They remain stubbornly still.  
It is apparent that this is going to take a whole lot more practice.

The tower door swings open with an ominous fury.  
Etias has returned and his wrath is upon me.  
I would assume that it is never a favorable thing to have the Time Keeper's wrath upon you.  
He stands in the doorway, his violet eyes staring directly at the book that is still in my hands. The outrage in his eyes is at the pinnacle of lividity.

"What have you done, Ida!" He cries out to me. I can hear heat and heartache mixed together in this cry.  
I don't even know how to explain myself.  
I want so much to make him understand, but I know that he cannot because his mind will only ever work with the rules of time. What I have done and what I am going to do are all against these rules.  
He takes a few cautious steps toward me. His hands are balled into angry fists, shaking and red. Everything about the way he hold himself screams that he is enraged.  
I can see a shimmer of remorse mingling with the prismatic gleam in his purple eyes.

How could I betray you, Etias?  
How could I not?

I drop the book. It thunks to the ground.  
I clasp Espen's pocket watch in my fist and sing the rhyme the moon had taught me.  
"Horologi etatis  
My wish upon the clock is  
That to my brother I might go  
Before too late; aliquando  
Midnight destined time it is  
Horologi etatis."

A bright light overcomes me.

"You don't know what you've done!" I hear Etias' faraway voice call out to me, thick with ruefulness. 


	17. Chapter 17

What have I done?  
There isn't any time to ponder this as the blinding light fades away and I am met with completely different surroundings.  
I find myself back in the very same frozen scene I never wished to lay eyes upon ever again.

The bedchamber is still ablaze, my parents are still enraged, and my brother is still seemingly crazed.  
Still, nothing makes the single slightest movement.

I let my eyes make contact with each of the little moths, whom are still refusing to flutter around in their orbits. My green eyes are pleading.  
"Please, please move..." No, this is much too weak a command. It can hardly be considered a command at all.  
"Move!" I cry out, exasperated beyond measure. Here I am, my family just within my grasp, and these obstinate creatures are refusing to work with me. Vallaria's sake.  
This cry, of course, is all too commanding.  
The moths do not budge.

"Ok, Ida." Yes, I am talking to myself. "You can do this. I know you can do this." I inhale a deep, deep breath. It really isn't as unusual as you think it is for me to be having this pep talk with myself.

"Ticker-Moths," I look around briefly to each of them. "You are marvelously glorious creatures and I know that you are capable of great power. I need to get back home so that I can save my family. Only you are able to accomplish this task of allowing me to enter back into my world. I just need you to start fluttering again. What I ask of you is something so simple for such powerful creatures as you. I know that you can do this. In the name of Time, I ask that you grant my request."  
I add a hardly inaudible "Please".

Nothing happens for several moments. My heart begins to dwindle in it's hope that I might've actually been successful in my endeavors to communicate with the moths.  
At the last moment, right as I am about to lose complete faith in my attempt, I see a sudden movement out of the corner of my eye.  
Did one of the moths just flitter it's powdery, gemstone wings?  
I jerk my head in it's direction.  
I sense movement behind me now. I whirl around towards this new activity.  
All at once, the moths begin to flutter their wings around me, starting out very slowly, then proceeding to fly faster and faster.  
I can feel the force of the air as it is pushed out from under the moths' wings.  
The Ticker-Moths swirl around and around, producing a cyclone spiraling itself around me.  
I am trapped in the midst of this Ticker-Moth whirlwind. I gasp for breath.  
I clench Espen's pocket watch in my fist, so tightly that I worry I might shatter it.  
_Skjebne hinsides tid._  
Over the torrential havoc caused by the moths and their cyclone, I can almost make out a faint ticking sound. That would be preposterous, would it not?

Suddenly, all of the chaos stops.

The Ticker-Moths have slowed their outrageously accelerated speed to what I think is a nice, calm pace. They flutter around me in their designated orbits.  
I find myself standing in a strangely familiar room, yet it is also unfamiliar at the same time.  
There are no people to be found. Both my parents and my brother have vanished.  
Is this my brother's bedchamber? It looks different now, but I can feel the familiarity flittering around in my heart as if it were a thousand Ticker-Moths.

"Hello?" I call out into the emptiness of the room. It comes of no surprise when no one answers.  
I study the peculiar room for several moments (I can say this now without making any remarks about how there hasn't actually been any moments).  
There are no answers in this room. I turn on my heel and make my way determinedly out the door, which is no longer singed by flames.

I walk down the hall with as confident a stride as I can manage. Everything here really is so familiar, but it all is so queer.  
I know this is my home, but something about it is so very different. I cannot place my finger upon what this strangeness is.

I round the corner. An old, fat cat scampers out of my way.  
"Kissa!" I squeal.  
I take note that animals seem to have Ticker-Moths, just as humans. Theirs seem to make their orbits much faster than human's moths do.  
Kissa squeezes her body under one of the many wooden credenzas placed strategically every few yards along the sides of the hallway. Each one has a green Vallarian vase filled with wilted Convallaria set atop its smooth, wood surface. Wilted Convallaria were never seen in Vallaria Valley castle.  
Kissa hisses at me from her hiding spot. I have doubts that she will be able to get her plump body out from under the tight space.  
"Here, Kitty." I reach my hand out toward her, palm up, so that she might come out and sniff it. Surely, she would remember me.  
"Meeeow." She responds, refusing to budge.  
Ah, forget this. Kissa obviously is not planning on moving her stubborn, fat self for a great while.

I draw my hand away from her and continue on down the hall.

I walk down a set of stairs, take a right, proceed down another hall, and take a left.  
I allow myself to wander mindlessly, not entirely knowing myself where I am wishing to go.  
I round a corner and find myself face to face with none other than the man I was previously betrothed to.

His hazel eyes widen. My green ones widen.  
We stare at each other without speaking for several beats.

"Ida?" He gasps.  
His Ticker-Moths have a dark presence about them. I can almost feel Hans' wickedness just by watching the moths flutter around him. These moths are not as powdery white as my own, nor do the gemstones appear as pure and faultless. Instead of glimmering with iridescent magnificence, these wings glint only shades of gray and black. It is as if the moths know that their human is sinister. I wish I had known the secret of the Ticker-Moths when I had first met him. I would have known from the start that he was a two-faced scum.  
"Hans." I spit this out with heat. I'm sure my green eyes have narrowed into slits, baring themselves deep into this despicable man.  
"You are dead... how is this possible?" He steps back.  
I enjoy his befuddlement. I take a few angry steps toward him, causing him to back himself against a wall.  
"Where is my family?" I demand, poking my finger at him with rage. I hope you know that I am enjoying this with all that I am. This is more fun than heated arguments.  
"Your... family?"  
"Yes, my family, you scumbag!" Perhaps this was taking things a bit too far.  
His hazel eyes harden from their previously haunted state. He seems to have regained his composure.  
He slaps my hands away from where they had been pointing at him in an accusatory manner.  
"Your family is gone."  
I draw back. My will has deflated. Picking a fight with him does not seem quite as fun anymore.  
"Gone?" My whimper escapes.  
"Yes. Gone." Something evil glimmers in those once irresistible, hazel eyes of his. It is the very same glimmer that is in the wings of his Ticker-Moths. "Just as I thought you were. This is a mistake I will remedy shortly."  
He reaches out for me.  
I let out a scream of terror and find enough sense within me to run.

"Guards!" Hans calls out, his voice as authoritative as any king.

I run from Hans, but the guards whom were once under orders to protect me have come to do just the opposite.  
It is of no use.  
The guards overtake me.  
My arms are pulled behind my back into a painful position.

Hans approaches me. I cannot move away.  
He brings his face within inches of my own.  
"Take her to the dungeon." 


	18. Chapter 18

So here I am, finally back in the land where time ticks on in the usual way that it should.  
I had been dreaming of the day that I would see this world again for what felt like an eternity.

I thought that I could come back and set everything right.  
I thought that I could stop Ember's fire. I thought I could save him from himself. I thought that I could tell him about all the knowledge I acquired.  
I thought that I could reason with my parents. I thought that I could make them see Ember the way I saw Ember. I thought I could make them look at him in the way a parent should look at their son.  
I thought I could warn them about Hans. I thought I could stop Hans.

I've done nothing at all.  
I'm too late.

I hadn't realized that while my time had stopped, time here had not been affected at all.

Many emotions are billowing up inside me.  
I feel anger, guilt, and sorrow. I feel rage, remorse, and heartache.  
In the end, all I can do with these emotions is lie down on the hard, stone floor of the dungeon and cry.  
You are judging me? You think that I am acting like a pitiful, little girl? I _am_ acting like a pitiful, little girl. Considering the circumstances, I feel as though I should be allowed just a few short moments as such. If you disagree, I am slightly annoyed by your decision. However, it is your opinion and I will respect it (sort of).

I lie there, passing the time away by bawling the shattered fragments of my heart out.

"Ida?" I hear a whisper come from behind the iron bars of my cell. "Is that really you?"  
It is a girl's voice, one that I'm sure I know.  
"Addie?" My head lurches up. I squint through the bars so that I might see her face. I wipe the tears from my cheeks.  
As I meet her eyes, she appears to become dumbfounded by my appearance.  
I will my body to drag itself closer to her.  
"Addie, it's me." I assure her. "I seem to have lost that Convallaria crown, but I am still wearing this ugly, chartreuse thing my mother insisted upon."  
She allows her eyes to study the atrocious fabric clinging to my body. She looks at my face and into my eyes.  
She nods, very slowly. "It is you."

Addie sits down next to the iron door separating us. "The others were talking in the kitchen. You know how gossip spreads around the castle. Some of the girls said they had heard that the ghost of Princess Ida had returned. They said she was taken to the dungeon so that she wouldn't haunt the palace. I don't believe in ghosts... you aren't a ghost, are you, Ida?  
I shake my head. "Oh, Addie, it's the longest, most spectacular story!"  
"I'd love to hear it, but we don't have time. The guards will be checking in at any minute. I sneaked in here... if they find me, they won't be happy." She casts a nervous glance toward the door into the dungeon.  
I wouldn't want Addie to get in trouble. "Of course. You should go."  
"Yes, but first..." She stands up and produces a set of golden keys on a ring.  
"How did you get those?" I gasp.  
She merely shrugs. She tries each key in the hole on the iron door keeping me trapped inside. On the third try, she is successful.  
The door swings open and I am free.

I wrap my arms around my best friend in an embrace. "Thank you, Addie!"

"Ida." The tone of her voice is serious. I draw back and give her my full attention. "I need your help." Addie looks at me with a pleading look in her eyes. "Hans has established a dictatorship over Vallaria Valley. There is no more singing and no more dancing. There are no more gatherings, nor are there any more celebrations. We are all as much of prisoners here as you are in this dungeon.  
Hans has taken over. After Ember destroyed the kingdom and was banished, your parents began to rebuild. They no longer had an heir. When Hans showed back up, they gave the throne over to him wholeheartedly. But then they disappeared."

My parents disappeared? So, they may still be alive!  
"What became of Ember?" I ask, hopefully.  
"I hear he has married into the throne of the faraway kingdom of Arendelle."  
He is alive! He is... ruling?  
This is fantastic beyond words. I no longer feel the need to bawl like a pitiful, little child.

"Please... help us, Ida."

My Vallarians need to be rescued from the unrelenting power of Prince Hans?  
I am the rightful ruler of Vallaria Valley now. I fully intend on saving my kingdom.  
"Where is it that you say Ember is king now?"  
"Arendelle."  
"I will go there and bring help to Vallaria Valley." I promise.  
We hear sounds coming from the door.  
"Go, Addie." I will her.  
She flees.

There is already a plan formulating in my mind. I find myself wondering if it is the result of my own genius or if I have some assistance. It feels as though the moths are whispering inside my head, but I really can't quite tell.  
I summon the moths. I find it to be much easier this time around. It only takes me a few attempts before they acknowledge me.  
It is all so unrealistically simple.  
I command the Ticker-Moths to stop, which sends me back into the Land Where Time Stands Still. I take Espen's pocket watch into my hand and I nudge the time to midnight. I sing the moon's rhyme, asking to be teleported to this "Arendelle" Adelina has spoken of. After this, all I need do is simply ask the moths to begin fluttering in their usual paths around me again.

I have traveled to the faraway kingdom of Arendelle in no time at all.  
How did I ever get by before this new knowledge?


	19. Chapter 19

Arendelle is a kingdom nestled at the base of a mountain range.  
It is not at all like my sweet Vallaria Valley, but I am most likely biased.  
While Vallaria Valley rests in a soft paradise of foliage and flowers, Arendelle is a much sharper, jagged kingdom surrounded by rough mountain rocks.  
Arendelle stretches itself out over this land, reaching out into the ocean waters.  
It's a pretty kingdom. Not nearly as marvelous as my own, but once again, I am biased.

I allow myself to enter into the village streets.  
The cobblestone of these roads are very precise and I suspect that they have been redone recently. Each individual stone gleams, boasting of it's newness.  
The buildings of the town also appear as if they have been rebuilt. All that is within Arendelle smells of freshness and reconstruction.  
I walk on, letting my eyes wander over this unfamiliar kingdom.  
I had never been away from Vallaria Valley before.  
Sometimes mother would invite royalty from neighboring kingdoms to attend some of our grandest balls, as she did for Prince Hans when he arrived all that time ago. These neighboring kingdoms were similar in culture to our own, however, so I don't think that should count.

There are several villagers scattered around the expanse of the kingdom. Many of the adults are going about their various duties for the day.  
I pass a small group of children playing a game that I do not recognize. It looks considerably fun.

I inhale the aroma of the mountain land. It is crisp and I can smell the fragrance of strange trees drifting down from the mountains with the gentle breeze. I can sense a hint of saltiness from the nearby oceans. It is peculiar to me that the air doesn't carry the slightest pinch of fragrance from the Convallaria.

Ember is king. I can only assume I should find him in the Arendelle castle that is rising up toward the sky alongside the mountains. The mountains are much taller, mind you.

I have seen and smelled enough of Arendelle for now. It is time for me to stop my gawking and to find my brother. My Vallarians need me and I should think that it is quite silly for me to be going on about such unimportant details. Do you not agree with me?

I hasten my pace. I glide through the streets of Arendelle, still never as graceful as my mother.

The castle gates are wide open.  
To me, this is a very queer Arendelle custom. Why leave the gates open as such? An enemy could just prance right on in as if they were a reindeer.  
This also means that I can prance right on in as if I am a reindeer. I would much rather be a human.  
I prance in, nonetheless. Well, I reckon that I stumble in an awkward manner.

At this point, I am met by guards. I suppose my reindeer theory is now preposterous because no reindeer could possibly prance right on through these men. Perhaps my theory was preposterous the moment it was spoken of. Perhaps I should stop talking about it.

"Your business, m'lady?" One of the guards speak.  
"Er... well..." How should I phrase this? I am your king's dead sister who has miraculously come back to life. No, I don't think that is right.  
"I'm a visiting princess from a faraway kingdom..." That actually sounded intelligent. I should think that would've made mother quite proud... momentarily.  
"Oh." The guards glance at one another. They each bow simultaneously.  
"Please accept our apology." The first guard tells me, still hunched down in a reverent manner. "We were not informed that anyone would be coming."  
Please get up...  
"Oh... of course." I nod, awkwardly. "So is the king ready to see me?"  
The guards rise up and exchange glances with one another again.  
The second guard is the one to talk this time. "I will tell his highness that you are here." He rushes away, as strong and determined as any guard should be.  
The first guard leads me into the castle, much more slowly.

I can tell that the castle of Arendelle is not as new as it's village. Wouldn't the Arendelle royals wish to renovate their own castle rather than reconstruct the area surrounding it?  
The inside of the castle is still very grand. I surmise that it wasn't in need of renovation.

I follow after the first guard, tripping only occasionally. He leads me to a very large door and I assume that this is the throne room. It has a large door; what other room could possibly have a door so large?  
The door is opened and I hear myself being announced.  
"King Ember and Queen Elsa, the princess of a faraway kingdom is here to be in your presence." These words echo throughout this grand room, ricocheting off of the walls.

The first guard gestures me to enter. I comply.

I step over the threshold and into the throne room.  
Naturally, I trip. I am able to steady myself before falling onto my backside.

I look up from the marble floor I was about to crumple down onto and latch my eyes upon the smoky, gray eyes of my brother.  
He is here! He is alive!  
I had to see it for myself to believe it!

"Ember!" I cry out, hardly able to contain myself.  
I break out into a run toward him. My form is awful, but I am not stumbling the slightest bit.

I see that his eyes are bulging, as if he is seeing a ghost. His skin has lost all color. He looks terrified.  
It's me! I'm not a ghost, Ember! It's really me!

I stop running, abruptly.  
I'm scaring him.

I notice a fair, young woman sitting in the throne next to his. She clenches his hand in her own pale one.  
She has hair so blonde it is nearly white. Her presence screams of an icy cold.  
I shiver as I remember.  
This is the girl from the moon's memory on the mountain with the blizzard.

"Who is she, Ember?" Her voice is as frigid as her presence.

"It's Ida." He whispers. "My sister." 


	20. Chapter 20

We have gathered now into a much more private room.  
My brother and the pale, mountain girl are standing close to each other a few feet away from me.  
Ember does not appear quite so haunted anymore. I'm glad that he has been successful in calming himself.  
There are also two other humans that I do not recognize. One is a stocky male with blonde hair. The shade of his hair is much more natural in comparison to the hair of the girl standing with my brother.  
The other is a young woman with strawberry blonde hair and big, blue eyes that glitter with excitement. She wears her hair in two braids, which hang over each of her shoulders. She bears a strong resemblance to the mountain girl.  
The only other that is in the room with us is not a human at all. He is a snowman. The others do not seem to be weirded out by this in any way, shape, or form. I think they are all crazy. Why the heck is there a talking snowman?

There is hushed conversation going on amongst this group. I admit that I am only partially listening.  
I am far more intrigued by the Ticker-Moths hovering around each of these individuals.  
I find it fascinating that the moths have developed their own characteristics matching that of their human.

The wings of Ember's Ticker-Moths have a somewhat singed appearance. It is not so much that it affects their flight patterns in any way.  
I want to reach out and stroke their delicate wings. I want to smell the faint scent of their scorched gemstones. These gemstones flicker like minuscule candles.

It is the same with the mountain girl, only opposite.  
Her moths have snowflakes dusted in with the powder of their wings. The gemstones on them have icy crystals glimmering subtlety.  
Her moths are like the blizzard's snowflake whirling around, thankful for being set free.

I examine all of these moths, captivated by how wondrous they are.

"Ida?" I can hear Ember's voice break through my awe. By the tone, I'm guessing he has been trying to get my attention for several minutes.  
"Oh, uh, yes." I answer in my usual classy manner.  
"We can talk all day and make our own judgments, but it would be futile to do so. Why don't you tell us your story?"  
The others nod their agreement.

My story? I tricked the Time Keeper and came back from the dead and now I have to save my entire kingdom from the evil clenches of my ex-betrothed. It's a good start. Perhaps I will alter it just a tiny bit. I will most likely leave out all parts mentioning the Time Keeper and coming back from the dead because, let's be real, it sounds rather ludicrous.

"We don't have time for all that." I tell them, looking at each one with authority. "Vallaria Valley is in trouble and I need your help."  
"Vallaria Valley has always been in trouble." Ember scoffs.  
I am taken aback by this.  
"With our mother as their ruler, Vallaria Valley has never not been in turmoil."  
"But that's just it!" I cry. "Our parents are missing!" I go on to explain more fully. "Hans has Vallaria Valley under his control. Our parents gave the throne over to him since they no longer had an heir, but they didn't know that Hans was a two-face. He did something to them, Ember!"  
"What do you wish me to do about it?" He takes a step closer to me. His eyes are blazing and his arms are flailing about, angrily. "They had an heir and they banished me. It serves them right."  
"They are in trouble!"  
"I'm not going back!"  
"You have to!"  
"I not going to!"  
"Yes, you are-"  
"STOP!"  
The mountain girl's yell rises up into a frigid command.  
All is silent.

"Can I ask something, Elsa?" The girl with the braids inquires of the mountain girl, whose name must be Elsa. I catch on quickly, even when I'm angry.  
"Go on, Anna." Elsa gives her consent.  
The braid-girl, who must be Anna, directs her question toward me. "Is this Hans you speak of from the Southern Isles, by any chance?"  
"Yes." I reply. How did she know? "And I'd be satisfied if he were to return there."  
"I'd like nothing better myself." Anna agrees. "We had a similar situation here in Arendelle a while back."

Ah, so Hans has been keeping himself busy. He must've gone on to the next kingdom after Vallaria Valley had been destroyed. It's nice to know that the death of his betrothed wasn't a huge setback for him.

"How is he not in the Southern Isles now?" Elsa ponders. "The consequences from his actions here must've warranted quite the punishment from his parents."  
"Do you really think that would stop him?" Anna snorts. "Evil isn't held back by punishments. He probably escaped and went on to the next kingdom without hesitation."  
"But wouldn't the other kingdoms have taken caution when associating with him?" Elsa responds. "I find it odd that he was even allowed to enter Ida's kingdom at all, much less that he was given the throne."  
I laugh. "You don't know my mother. She adored Hans."  
Ember mutters something under his breath. I'm not positive, but I think it was something like this, "She adored him more than she ever did me."

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm willing to go to this Vallaria Valley if it means putting Hans back in his place." Anna announces.  
"Ooh!" The snowman exclaims, causing me to jump. "Can I go, too?"

"Hans will not just hand Vallaria Valley back over to me." I speak up. "We will be met with force. We need an army."  
"Whatever it takes." Anna's words are determined.

Elsa looks back and forth, from Anna to Ember. She bites her lip. "I wish to go, as well." She says, quietly.  
Irritation flashes in Ember's intense, gray eyes. He is not pleased with this Elsa's decision.  
"Come with your sister, Ember." She pleads with him in a hushed voice.

He glances at Elsa, then directs his attention to me. His gray eyes pierce into my own. "Fine. But I am not going for our parents. I am going for you."

The sturdy, blonde speaks now. "Ah, I see where this leaves me."  
Anna latches onto him. She gazes up into his face with her big eyes. "Will you stay here and take care of Arendelle, Kristoff? You've done it before!"  
"But you were with me!"  
"I have to do this..."  
The man lets out a heavy sigh, as if he already knows arguing is pointless.  
"Olaf will stay and help you!" Anna adds.  
"What!" The snowman protests.  
"Please, Kristoff?" Anna bites her lip. "I know you can do it..."  
"All right." This 'Kristoff' gives in.  
Anna squeals, excitedly. She wraps her arms around his neck to embrace him.

For the next few hours, plans and preparations alike are made and readied.  
We will set out at sunrise.  
The journey back to Vallaria Valley will not be as simple as the one to Arendelle had been.  
I will actually have to travel the tedious way all human beings without my knowledge do. It takes up much time, but my traveling companions do not know of the same secrets I do.  
The rest of my party seems passionate about this adventure. All except my brother.  
Ember is reluctant to go back to Vallaria Valley.


	21. Chapter 21

Silence echoes off the walls of the lifeless Arendelle palace.  
A blanket has tucked itself over the kingdom and all have gone to sleep.

Elsa, who I have come to find out is Ember's queen, had shown me to an empty bedchamber so that I might lay my head down comfortably for the night.  
I laugh at the thought of actually resting.  
The Ticker-Moths have not settled down to sleep; why should I?

I find myself wandering around the maze of corridors.  
I periodically stop time and teleport myself to a different room of the castle.  
I should think that there is no harm in enhancing my skill.

"Horologi etatis  
My wish upon the clock is  
That across the castle I might go  
Before too late; aliquando  
Midnight destined time it is  
Horologi etatis"

I find myself in the library.  
It is much grander than Vallaria Valley's. There are thousands of books arranged in an orderly manner on the many shelves. They look bored as they lie there unattended.  
I wonder if the castle's library had been quite so marvelous before Ember had come along.  
I take a few steps deeper into the heart of the room.  
The floor is a checkered marble. It is peculiar to see the floors not embellished with a floral design of some sort.

I am just about to summon the moths to resume flying around their orbits when I sense a presence in the shadows.

"Who's there?" I fling myself around. I am met with nothingness; with the exception of more bookcases.  
I walk cautiously through the library. "Hello?"  
There it is again!  
I whirl around as fast as lightning, but this presence must be faster than even lightning itself because no one is here.  
"Is someone there?" I call out, my words reverberating throughout the timeless expanse.

I feel warm breath on my neck. A jolt goes up my spine. I scream and jerk myself in this new direction, slamming into a shelf of books.  
Violet eyes pierce through me.  
The Time Keeper has returned.  
He stands with his arms crossed and one eyebrow raised in an unpleasant manner.  
Everything about the way he holds himself says that he is still very irritated with me.  
I take note that Etias doesn't have any Ticker-Moths hovering in his space.  
His eyes never waver. He stares into me.

"Etias." I gasp.  
"Ida." This one word bites into me.  
"I..." Have no idea what to say.  
"You don't know what you're doing." He snaps. "You have upset the balance."  
I've upset the balance? Oh, I see what's going on here. Someone's throwing a hissy fit because they no longer have this power all to themselves.  
"This is unacceptable, Ida. Surely you must see this." No, I actually don't.  
He takes a small step closer to me, his eyes soften just the tiniest bit. Did I just see that flash of loneliness again?  
"Please, let me take away the knowledge you have uncovered." He whispers.  
"What?" I push him away. "No!" Vallaria's sake, is he crazy? Take away the knowledge of the Ticker-Moths? No way.  
"Ida, you don't understand-"  
"I understand perfectly well." I narrow my eyes at him. "You don't want anyone to have your power. You're the Time Keeper and you have to keep it all to yourself. Well, you aren't the only one who can do this anymore. Haven't you seen what I can do? If you're so worried about my amateur abilities messing up the balance, then train me, Etias!"  
"Train you..." He shakes his head. "Impossible."  
"But I can do it!" I plead.  
"No, you can't."  
"Yes, I can!"  
"No." He will not be reasoned with. This frustrates me almost as much as I'm sure that I am frustrating him. I feel like this power is a part of me now. I have confidence in my abilities. Everything has been going perfectly so far; the moths have been abiding by my every word.  
"You don't understand what you're doing, Ida." The loneliness is in his eyes again. I can see it so very clearly. I feel the familiar guilt clenching it's fingers around my heart. "Please, let me take it away."  
"And spend the rest of forever with you?" I spit. "Not a chance."

Etias is in the way. He is always in the way. I hate him for it. I might feel guilt, but my hate is becoming stronger.

I summon the moths to fly around their orbits. A cyclone closes in around me, sending me to another world far away from Etias.  
If Etias will not train me, then I will train myself.

The whirlwind dies down and the world around me begins ticking again.

I slide down to the floor of the Arendelle library and sigh deeply.  
The checkered marble feels cool beneath my body.

_Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock..._

The sound is music to my ears.  
I look up to see where it is coming from.  
A bookshelf is obscuring my view. I force my body to rise and investigate.  
Moving beyond this particular shelf, I can see that there is a mysterious grandfather clock perched in the corner of the library.

_Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock..._

I am drawn to it.  
I permit my legs to guide me over so that I might stand before it and let my fingers trace the lines of the wood.  
I get a whiff of that subtle wooden smell. It is only slightly different to the scent of that of the Betula Pendula and the Pinus Sylvestris.  
I find myself at a loss for breath, although I can no longer blame this for the size of my dress. I am wearing a forest green Arendelle nightgown, which has no Convallaria on it for decoration. It fits the way any normal dress should.  
I stroke the clock and study the designs that had been carefully carved into it.

"Do you like it?"  
I jump and feel foolish for doing so again in so little time.  
Elsa had unknowingly come into the library. She stands behind me with one arm braced against a bookcase. Her head is cocked to one side, which causes her sloppy braid to dangle over one shoulder.  
I take a few steps away from the grandfather clock. I feel sheepish. I must have looked ridiculous.  
"We have a renowned clockmaker here in Arendelle." Elsa comes closer. Her braid swishes back and forth as she does so. "He made this. It is beautiful; I think you agree."  
Renowned clockmaker? My heart beats faster.  
I reach into the pocket of my nightdress and pull out my beloved pocket watch.  
_Skjebne hinsides tid._  
I hold it up next to the grandfather clock. It is, without a shadow of a doubt, the same craftwork.  
"Espen Klokke." I whisper.  
"Yes." Elsa cocks her head again. "That is one of his, isn't it?" She gestures to my watch.  
I nod.  
"I was not aware that his work was known so far away as your kingdom."  
I make a sound of acknowledgment, but I have nothing further to say.  
I like Elsa, but at the same time, I don't. It's hard to explain.  
"You cannot sleep." She remarks.  
I shrug.  
"Are you anxious about the journey tomorrow?"  
I shrug again.  
"Ember will come around." She tells me. "He is afraid to return to the place where so many bad memories haunt him still. I think knowing you are alive will help him once it has time to sink in."  
"He's different." I break my silence.  
"We both are." Elsa nods. "You see, Ida, I have powers just as Ember does. I once struggled just as your brother did and I was losing to the unnatural abilities wreaking havoc inside me. With my ice and his fire, the balance was restored."

The memory of her frozen body on the mountain flashes through my mind.  
She has ice powers. She saved Ember.  
I should be happy, but I feel a twinge of jealousy. I was suppose to fix everything.

"I cannot pretend to understand what happened to you, Ida." Elsa speaks softly. "But I will listen if you ever wish to tell."  
What happened to me is exactly what happened to you. I was sent to the Land Where Time Stands Still. Only I didn't need someone else to save me; I got myself out.

I turn my attention back to the grandfather clock.

I was never supposed to have seen Espen again. My heart longed to.


	22. Chapter 22

Elsa told me where I would find Espen Klokke's workshop in the heart of the village.

I know that it is in the middle of the night, but I am to leave for Vallaria Valley as soon as the sun rises. Who knows how long it will be before I return to Arendelle. Who knows if I will ever return to Arendelle.  
I made up my mind that I would go see Espen now.

Journeying through a strange village alone at night is always disconcerting. This is no exception.  
I ache to teleport myself there, but I do not wish to stop time should Etias still be lurking in the shadows.  
I wander through street after street, trying my best to follow Elsa's directions. I'm sure I've taken at least ten wrong turns.  
At last, I see a sign with a clock on it. It dangles above the door to a quaint, little building. There are words on the sign, but I cannot comprehend the meaning of anything except the word "Klokke", which I know to be his name.  
I stride up to his door and lift my hand to knock. My fist stops midair.  
This is ridiculous. Why am I at the door of a foreign man that I hardly even know? It is late hours of the night... why am I here? Vallaria's sake, why am I such a queer girl?

I find myself stuck in a state of doubt, in which I stand outside of the workshop not sure at all of what I should do.

I drop my hand from it's place frozen before the door and pat the pocket holding my precious timepiece. I might mention that I have changed out of my nightdress and into an everyday gown. It is already ridiculous that I am here, but it would be ludicrous beyond all possible words if I were to have shown up with a nightdress on, would it not?  
I want so much to lay eyes on the man who made my precious pocket watch, if not for one last time.

_Knock, knock, knock._  
I let my fist meet the solidity of the door.  
Several moments pass and there are still no signs of movement from within the shop.  
I am willing to be patient due to the fact that the poor man will have to drag himself out of bed to answer my knock, however, my patience is dwindling. I am beginning to wonder if the door will ever be opened.

"Who are you?" A man's voice comes from behind me.  
I leap into the air, letting out a pitiful squeak. Why must everyone be so set on scaring me these days?  
I spin myself in his direction.  
I gasp for breath. This is not because of my dress size, nor is it because I have just been freaked out. It is because I have laid eyes on Espen, the man I should have never seen again.  
"Espen?" I say, dumbly.  
He still has that very same chunk of hair sticking straight out.  
His eyes (the ones I remember being so kind) widen upon seeing my face. I'm still getting used to this "freak-everyone-out-because-I-must-be-a-ghost" thing.  
"P-P-Princess I-Ida?" He stutters in that charming way of his.  
"Yes, it's me."  
"You are... alive?" He blinks rapidly, as if trying to clear his vision to see if I'm really here. Yes, I'm really here.  
"Er... yup. I'm alive."  
"How?" He shakes his head now. "No, no... how rude of me. Please, do come in." He moves past me and opens the shop door. He holds it for me so that I might enter.  
"I heard someone shuffling around outside." Espen babbles as he leads me through the quaint clock shop of his. "So I went out the back door to take whoever it was out by surprise. I do think you are the one who took me by surprise, Princess Ida."

There are clocks everywhere. That's silly; it is a clock shop. I should think you already have made that assumption.  
The clocks come in all shapes and sizes. There are grandfather clocks lined up along the far wall. Each one has a different personality carved into it. None can be mistaken for anyone else's work. These are Espen's clocks.  
There are shelves along another wall, filled to capacity with pocket watches. Next to these shelves is where the hanging clocks have been placed. Cuckoo clocks have different wooden animals of all varieties popping out.  
Continuous ticking and tocking fills the room, so much as to cause someone to lose their sanity after so long, I would imagine.

"Wow." I breathe, letting my eyes wander over each of the beautiful masterpieces.  
"I am glad to see that you still like them." I notice that he is studying me. It reminds me of Etias. I feel a twinge inside me. "I was in a kingdom nearby Vallaria Valley when I caught news of your death. I felt great remorse. I am glad to see that there was a misunderstanding."  
He is being a gentleman by not asking any further questions. I do not offer him any details.  
"What brings you to Arendelle?" Espen inquires, changing the topic of discussion.  
"Er... well, I was visiting my brother, but I am leaving tomorrow."  
"That's a pity."  
"It is." I stare awkwardly at the pendulums swinging back and forth from inside the grandfather clocks. "But my kingdom is in peril. I must go back to help them."  
"Peril?" He repeats. "Oh, is this what all the commotion has been about? I've heard news that the Arendelle army is setting out with the royal family to aid a faraway kingdom."  
I nod.  
"If it is Vallaria Valley that needs Arendelle's help, I should like to come along."  
I'm surprised by this. He's not exactly the warring type. He's much too lean and gangly.  
He must sense my judgmental thoughts. "Well, I might not be the most skilled at using a sword, but I should still like to assist in any way that I can."  
"If it is what you wish..." I'm surely not going to be the one to stop him.

I spend several more hours with him in his workshop. He shows me how the gears inside a clock work. I enjoy listening to him talk while he teaches me. I enjoy him teaching me. If I had to choose between the two, I definitely prefer it when he talks.  
On more than one occasion during this time, I have to hold myself back from smoothing down that one untamed chunk of hair.  
His Ticker-Moths are lively and enthusiastically hovering around him. I would be, too, if I were them.

After a while, I can see the sun starting to peak itself up into the sky through the window of the shop.  
Whether I like it or not, I must leave Arendelle to go back to Vallaria Valley.  
On the bright side, at least I get to bring Espen along with me.

Espen and I walk through the village together to join the Arendelle army so that we might set out on the long journey to Vallaria Valley. I try hard to restrain myself from entwining my fingers into his as we walk. 


	23. Chapter 23

Vallaria's sake, there isn't just one talking snow creature, there are two.  
"Lumi and I will keep Sven in line." The snowman, who I remember to be 'Olaf', ensures us all. He appears to be snacking on a snow cone. I find this a bit odd, being that he himself is made up of snow.  
"His name is Kristoff." The other snow creature says, matter-of-fact.  
"Same difference."  
I won't be disappointed to leave this nonsense behind. This is in a whole other league from the talking moon and sun.

The village square is alive and bustling as the Arendelle people gather to bid farewell to their beloved royals.  
The army is ready.  
A thousand Arendelle men are armed and uniformed. There are more Ticker-Moths present than I can possibly attempt to count.

With the sight of all these men undoubtedly brings great fear into the hearts of the women and children to be left behind.  
I think I can see this same fear in the face of Kristoff, the man who will be left to calm and care for these people. I can tell that he will handle things wonderfully by the uncertainty he has of himself. Nobody likes a ruler that is full of himself. I know of one ruler like this back in Vallaria Valley who goes by the name of Hans. Have you heard of him?  
"Be safe." I can hear Kristoff whisper as he hugs the braid-girl Anna. I'm sensing a romantic connection. Hey, I'm not a genius. I have to put the pieces together for myself. Any help at all from you would be gladly accepted and much appreciated... or you can just follow along without contributing anything whatsoever. It is your choice.  
My best guess is that, judging by the resemblance, she must be Elsa's sister. She must also be married to this Kristoff, which gives him the authority to take over the kingdom while we are away. Once again, I'm just guessing here.

I turn my attention away from the goodbye scene playing out before me.

In the distance, I can see Ember mounted at the head of the army on a black stallion. This steed is befitting for any courageous king. The dark coat of the horse is almost as black as Ember's shaggy hair. The stallion is restless, clopping it's hooves in place, ready to gallop through the mountainous terrain.

A smaller horse with white and brown splotches obscures this view of my brother, halting right in front of me.  
This irritates me. I look up at the rider, preparing myself to tell him to give me a little personal space.  
It is Espen.  
The words catch in my throat.  
He looks so terribly hopeless atop the back of a horse. He is far too spindly.  
He reaches his hand down toward me. Oh my! he wishes me to mount the horse and ride with him.  
My heart beats faster. I move my hand towards his.

"Ida." Elsa calls from behind me, halting my hand just before it is able to make contact with Espen's. I knew I didn't like that Elsa. "There is a carriage if you wish to join Anna and I."  
It isn't an order, just a friendly suggestion. I'm sure she just didn't wish to leave me feeling left out. All the same, I am irritated that she ruined my moment with Espen. Now I will be expected to accept the invitation to ride with the royals.  
"Of course." I mumble. I shrug up at Espen and follow after Elsa to this carriage she has spoken of.

I shall forever dream up fantasies where Espen and I ride off into the sunset, clinging to one another as if our lives depended upon it.

The carriage is white.  
There is room enough for at least four people, but I'd bet you anything that six could squeeze. Would you like to take me up on this bet? I should rather like some extra spending money.

Upon entering, I see that the seats are cushioned with a soft, blue fabric. The ride shouldn't be too uncomfortable for us.  
Anna is already seated at the far left side.  
I plop down on the right side, perhaps a bit too hard. Admittedly, I am still pouting over Espen.  
Elsa comes in after me and seats herself next to Anna. How can someone move so flawlessly? My mother would have approved of Elsa. No, I take that back. She would not have approved of Elsa's ice powers.

A horn is blown, sounding the signal that we are to move out of Arendelle and onwards to Vallaria Valley.

Anna pokes her head out the window of the carriage and waves enthusiastically to the Arendelle people. "Goodbye!" She calls out to them.  
Elsa, in a much more refined manner, smiles elegantly and waves with more grace than I ever thought imaginable (and I have a pretty good imagination).  
I don't wave, nor do I smile.  
Are you judging me again? Why must you always judge?  
I do not know these people. Why would they care to see me bid them farewell? Trust me; they do not.

We are on our way back to my home to stop Hans.  
This should be the adventure of a lifetime.  
I am already bored.  
I slouch against the cushions of the seat and try to keep my mind from thinking of the Ticker-Moths.  
I can hear their faint buzz. I want so much to use their power.  
I let my eyes wander with my mind. I look at my own moths.  
I am biased, but I love my own moths more than anyone else's.  
Their wings are powdery and radiant and... what is this?  
I squint, trying to peer just a little more closely at the fragile wings of my own Ticker-Moths.  
Hardly even noticeable, I can make out a few small rips.  
Hardly noticeable, yet noticeable nonetheless.


	24. Chapter 24

I do my best to console my unease. I try to reason with myself.  
Surely, if the moths were in real pain, they would've communicated this to me. I probably just didn't notice the moths' true wing shape when I first laid eyes on them. This is probably how their wings are meant to look. The Ticker-Moths couldn't possibly have tears in their wings, could they? No, of course not.  
The fear is inconsolable.

I sit restlessly in the carriage upon the plush, blue cushions, day in and day out.

We stop every other night to let our men rest.  
The soldiers lay their bodies around several fires to keep warm (by courtesy of Ember) under the indigo night sky.  
Of course, it would not be ladylike at all for Elsa, Anna, or I to sleep outside on the hard ground with the rest of the group. We find ourselves doomed to sleep in the carriage.  
It is not as though I sleep anyway, but I would much rather be out in the open.  
After a while, I envision this carriage as some kind of cruel prison.  
The blue cushions may look pleasant to sit on, but do not let them deceive you. They become the most uncomfortable surface this world has ever known.

I listen to Anna and Elsa as they tell endless tales of their lives.  
Some of these stories intrigue me; some of them are much too informative. I am not in need of every detail of these girl's lives.

I am able to find out that these girls are, in fact, sisters.  
Anna tells me about her experience with Hans. I will admit that this is one of the more intriguing stories.  
Apparently, her sister Elsa had sent Arendelle into an eternal winter. Eternity must not be so long after all because it looked like the eternal winter was over by the time I arrived in Arendelle.  
Kristoff and Anna met during this time (yes, they are indeed married to one another. Goodness, am I smart or what?). He helped Anna reach the peak of the mountain Elsa had run off to.  
Anna tells of an ice palace or some such nonsense.  
To summarize this story in as little effort as possible, they were able to thaw the eternal winter and send Hans on a one-way ship back to the Southern Isles.

Unfortunately, the tale is not over here.  
This is when Elsa takes over and narrates her side of things.  
This is where my brother, Ember, comes into the picture.

Everyone thought that Elsa had her powers under control by this point. Everyone was all too wrong.  
Elsa speaks to me about the delicate balance of nature. I don't tell her this, but I already am quite learned in this subject.  
The ice was out of balance. Elsa's powers were freezing her, little by little.

"I met your brother on Anna's wedding day." Elsa has a faraway look in her eyes.  
"Yeah, he ruined it." Anna cuts in. I don't believe she has entirely gotten over this mishap.  
"Everything caught on fire." Elsa ignores Anna's interruption; I get the feeling that she has to deal with this quite often. "When I first laid eyes on him, I was drawn to him. I'd never met anyone like me before."

Ember and Elsa had set out together to The Kingdom On The Top Of The World.  
I already know that this is where Fate resides. It is more of a cottage than a kingdom. You know how authors are… always stretching out the details to get a good story.  
The part I find most interesting of all is when Elsa tells me about a dream of hers.

"I was completely frozen." Her voice is soft. "I remember waking up and the blizzard was speaking to me and I was speaking to him. He let me go back to my world.  
I wish I could've thanked him. I wish I could've known if he were all right."

My own memory flashes in my mind.  
I remember holding the music box in my hands. I remember lifting up the lid and freeing the snowflakes. I remember their high-pitched screams thanking me from the bottom of their hearts.  
The blizzard is just fine, Elsa. He is just fine.

Fire and Ice together restored balance in nature, just as I already knew it would.  
Ember saved Elsa; Elsa saved Ember.  
I can't help but feel that familiar stab of jealousy.

I'm sure they go on to tell more about their important selves, but I tune them out.  
I stare outside at the dull landscape rolling by. It is drab compared to Vallaria Valley's beauty.  
Time blends together.  
I can't possibly get back home soon enough. If it weren't for the Arendelle army, I would have already teleported myself there a hundred times over.

It must be an "odd" day because I hear my brother give the command to halt for the night.  
I can't get out of the carriage fast enough.  
I briefly let my legs enjoy the sensation of standing before taking off into the forest alone.

The sun is slouching down into the Earth. The moon is taking back it's reign in the sky, with the stars as his subjects.  
I feel my heart ache as I look up at the sight.  
I wish he would speak to me and sprinkle down his moonlight onto my hair.

"I wish you would talk here as you do in the Land Where Time Stands Still." I call up to him.  
He doesn't respond. I should get use to this. The moon shan't be talking to me in this world.  
"Who are you talking to?"  
I leap a good ten feet into the air. Why must everyone scare the living daylights out of me?  
Espen has followed me into the woods.  
I feel heat creeping up my neck. How does one explain talking to the moon? I should think that there is no logical explanation for this.  
"Er..."  
He steps nearer to me. I make no move to step away.  
I savor his closeness.  
He does not make me explain myself.  
"We have been traveling for what feels like forever." He ponders.  
I know all too well what forever feels like. This trip has, indeed, been very long and industrious, but it has not nearly come close to being forever.  
Forever is when time stops and you have to be trapped, not knowing whether or not your family is even alive.  
"Are you all right, Princess Ida?" He peers at me and studies me closely. Why must he do this? It is all too much like Etias.  
"I am fine." I wipe away any of his concerns. I cannot wipe it away from inside me.  
I can still feel the question burning within.  
I glance at my Ticker-Moths' wings.  
_Are you all right?_

He walks me back to our campsite. I enjoy walking with him in the solitary aura of the forest. I have to contain the urge to take his hand into my own.

Two familiar voices waft through the trees as Espen and I make our way back.  
I can see a faint campfire glowing through the thick foliage.

"I worry about Ida, Ember." The whisper comes from Elsa. "I'm not sure exactly what troubles her, but I can see it in her eyes."  
"She is different." This comes from my brother.  
"She reminds me of myself," Elsa says. "When I was burdened by my own powers. I will keep an eye on her."  
"Thank you."  
"But Ember," She continues. "You need to speak with her yourself. Rekindle your relationship. Perhaps she will confide in you."

Espen grips my shoulder, bringing my attention back from this conversation.  
He guides me away quietly.

Elsa and Ember were talking about me.  
Elsa has the audacity to say that I remind her of when her own powers were out-of-control.  
My powers are just fine, thank you. I am nothing like Elsa or Ember. I've got this and I don't need help.

"They were just expressing their concern." Espen breaks through my thoughts. He can sense my outrage.  
"There is no need of concern." I smile to convince him.  
He gives me a strange look and I know that he is not convinced.  
His kind eyes are sad. I can see the question within them.  
_Are you all right?_


	25. Chapter 25

Time trudges on with the speed of a stubborn turtle.  
My physical self remains in the carriage with Elsa and Anna, but my mind floats somewhere faraway. I am lost in the aura of the Ticker-Moths.

My body craves the nights when we stop to rest. This is the time I get to wander off on my own and answer the call of the moths.  
I find myself gone longer and longer, returning to our camp later each time.  
Soon, I am not returning at all until the sun has risen back up into the sky and our party is ready to resume our journey.  
I can see the worry escalating in my comrades' eyes, but they need not have concern. I have everything under control.

Espen has approached me many times inquiring where I have been all night.  
I have been successful in hindering him, and anyone else for that matter, from following me. I do not wish to be followed. I only wish to be alone with the moths.

Elsa has also made her concern known.  
"Please be careful in the woods alone, Ida." She whispered to me one morning.  
"I am." I snapped back. Vallaria's sake, I am not a child.  
"If you ever need someone to talk to-"  
"I'm fine." I turned my back to her and climbed into the carriage.

Ember has not said anything at all. I have only noticed him studying me from afar. I am just as fine with him keeping his silence. I do not need one more person to baby me.  
I am old enough to take care of myself.

As time goes on, I find my emotions becoming stronger and stronger.  
I can feel the envy, fear, rage, and hate as they multiply in my heart, overtaking all else.  
I don't know if you can understand this, but everyone I once loved is now standing in the way of my power. This is a threat to me. This is a very big threat.

It is an "odd" night; we have stopped to camp.  
I cannot get away fast enough.  
No one tries to stop me because they know that they cannot.  
I rush into the woods. I welcome the sensation of being engulfed by the trees.  
The Ticker-Moths already sense my request. They respond eagerly by halting in their orbits.

"Horologi etatis  
My wish upon the clock is  
That across the forest I might go  
Before too late; aliquando  
Midnight destined time it is  
Horologi etatis"

I welcome the blinding white light.  
I am relieved to no longer have to suppress my powers. I am free to let it go out here in the isolation of the trees.  
Where am I? I have no idea, but I do not care. There is no need to worry about such trivial things. The Ticker-Moths will bring me back to camp safely. I have full confidence in this power.

I stroll through the solitude of the forest.  
"Ida." A whisper comes from the shadows.  
The familiar emotions come rushing back all at once; envy, fear, rage, and hate.  
"Go away, Etias." I warn him.  
Squinting, I can distinguish his vibrant violet eyes from the darkness of the woods.  
Why has he come back? I will not let him take my power.  
"Ida... listen..." He emerges fully. His purple robes flow majestically around him. He still has that unearthly prismatic gleam.  
I no longer see the same beauty I once did; I only see a threat.  
"No." I do not wish to hear a single word extracted from his lips.  
Shattered loneliness still haunts the depths of the violet irises. They settle on the moths frozen around me.  
"Do you not see what is happening to them?" He asks.  
The tears in their wings have enlarged; there is no denying this.  
The Ticker-Moths have not whispered of any discomfort whatsoever to me. They must be fine. They are Ticker-Moths… a few rips could not possibly hinder such powerful creatures.  
"Ida, please listen to me." He steps closer. The closer he gets, the greater a threat he becomes. "You are battling something bigger than yourself. Let me take the knowledge and bring you back with me. Let me restore the balance!"  
The Time Keeper only wants to follow the rules of time. These rules will take away my knowledge and trap me once more in the Land Where Time Stands Still.  
I will not allow it.  
"No!"  
I flee from him.  
I hate Etias because the only power I have cannot hinder him in any way.  
Etias has no Ticker-Moths. I have no control over Etias.  
I run away through the maze of the woods.  
I periodically sing the moon's rhyme, which sends me to some other unknown part of the forest.  
I do this for what feels like forever.  
At last, I send myself back to our camp and order the moths to start time again.  
I am exhausted, but why should I possibly sleep when the Ticker-Moths do not?

The sun is just now edging upward to begin a new day.  
Men are lying all throughout the grass, still overcome by a deep slumber.  
I spot Espen a few yards away. He sleeps in an uncomfortable position with his thin body sprawled out rather awkwardly. He still has that one chunk of hair sticking straight out.

I notice Ember sitting alone by a fire a short distance away.  
I go to him.  
I take my seat next to him quietly.  
His eyes shift to me momentarily before going back to their vacant stare into the orange glow of the fire.  
"Vallaria Valley is near." He says in a hushed voice.  
"Is it?" Excitement flutters in my heart like a moth.  
Ember nods. He does not look at all excited.  
"Why do you not wish to return?" I ask.  
"I was banished, Ida."  
I sigh.  
Are you ready for a deep brother and sister moment? Because here it comes...  
"You know, Ember, you have proved all of Vallaria Valley wrong." I tell him. "You have become a great ruler. You are more than a hiccup."  
"Do you think so?" He looks away from the fire. His eyes rest on my face.  
"I cannot speak for mother, but I know that I am proud."  
"Thanks Ida."  
I nod.  
"You know... I know that I haven't always been there for you... but if you ever wish to talk... I'm here." He says.  
"I know."  
"And I'm... sorry that I ever hurt you." Tears glisten in his gray eyes.  
"I know." I smile at my brother.

The men begin to wake up.  
No more words are exchanged between Ember and I. There isn't time for conversation when there is a journey to be completed.  
I can tell we are getting very close by the way the men are clenching their weapons a little tighter.

The farther we travel, the more prevalent the Convallaria flowers become in the lush, green grass. 


	26. Chapter 26

Tension has reached its peak inside the little carriage.  
Obviously, there was a lot of tension previously, but this tension is of an entirely different kind.  
This is the tension of knowing what is to come.  
Anxiety flitters around the carriage like a nervous Ticker-Moth.

There will be a battle; this is inevitable.  
Hans will fight until the bitter end.

Anna chatters on about nothing in particular. I think it is mostly about the budding romance between Olaf and Lumi, the peculiar talking snow people.  
Why she would think the love life of a snowman would matter to me in this particular moment, I will not pretend to know.

"Your land is beautiful, Ida." Elsa whispers to me, just loud enough to be heard over Anna's babbling.  
I nod to show my acknowledgement.  
Elsa and I peer out at the Valley through the window.  
The Convallaria are merely white blurs as we pass on by.  
Oh, how I long to inhale their familiar scent!  
Are you laughing at my change of heart? I will allow you to do so.

I sing softly.  
"There is a valley, sweet and strong  
It grows both green and white  
The grass grows fertile, lush, and long  
The flowers are quite a sight"

Anna has quieted herself to listen.

"Indignantly, I hear one say  
'We care for this lovely area.'  
Gracefully, they swing and sway  
'We are the Convallaria'  
This is their valley, sweet and strong  
A breathtaking sight to see  
It is where the flowers do belong  
They belong here just like me."

"Oh, that's wonderful, Ida!" Anna exclaims. Elsa nods in agreement.  
"Thanks." I smile.  
We go on to spend our time by exchanging songs from our own kingdoms. I teach them Vallarian verses and they teach me their Arendelle ones.  
My favorite one of theirs is about the folk of Arendelle. I would elaborate on this, but I'm sure you already have heard it.

I dare say that I am actually enjoying my time with them.

We are disrupted by commotion outside.  
I try to make out words being shouted by our men, but it is a useless effort.  
The three of us exchange confused glances.

Ember rides his mighty steed alongside the carriage. His horse keeps pace with the window.  
"Vallaria Valley," He calls over into the interior of our carriage. "Our men have detected it."  
My heart feels as though it could leap into the air and fly away with the Ticker-Moths. Yes, this means that I am happy.  
"What is the plan to be, Ember?" Elsa inquires. The tone of her voice has turned serious with this report. She is ready to get to business.  
"We want to go straight into the village. We have a whole other army to be found in the Vallarian villagers. Hans won't be expecting us; this is our only chance to gather the Vallarians so that they might fight alongside us." Ember's voice is firm and confident. I like seeing him present himself with authority. It fits him well.

"I want Anna and Ida to stay together and to stay out of the battle." Ember adds. This emits indignation from both Anna and I. We incoherently talk over one another with a string of outraged words.  
"Listen!" Ember holds his palm up, signaling us to be silent. He holds onto the reigns of his horse with his other hand. "Neither of you know how to wield a sword. I need Elsa with me because her powers will aid us greatly. I'm sure there will be other ways that you might be of assistance. Will you please stay out of harm's way?"  
Anna relents. "All right..."  
Neither of us are pleased, but we both agree.  
"Thank you." Ember leads his horse away from the window.

I see that there is a question hanging in the air.  
"Are you going to obey your brother, Ida?"  
We are about to enter into the adventure of a lifetime which, might I add, is a battle against my evil ex-betrothed. Do I seem like the kind of person who would let something like this slip by without being a part of it? Presumably, I do not.  
Vallaria's sake, I have already died once. Have I really got all that much to lose?

I do not blatantly disobey my brother for no good reason at all. I have a good reason.  
You see, we were all counting on the element of surprise.  
Hans was not supposed to be ready to engaged in battle at that very first moment.  
We were supposed to use this time to acquire the Vallarian villagers so that we might all fight together to get our kingdom back.  
I should have known better.  
Hans is far more clever than I could ever give him credit for.  
He knew I would return.  
His army has been prepared for the day that I would.

Right here, in the expanse of my sweet Valley, the war begins.  
We are the ones that are taken by surprise. 


	27. Chapter 27

Fear is the emotion that rises up from the rage, envy, and hate.

Elsa, Anna, and I watch through the windows of the carriage. We are absolutely horrified by what we see.  
We watch dumbly, not even able to think of what else can possibly be done.  
It all happened so suddenly. How did it all go wrong in a matter of seconds?

Hans' army ambushed our own.

Sword clashes against sword. The metallic sounds send shivers through me.

Suddenly, something launches into our carriage. The coach lurches from the force.  
We brace ourselves against the walls. Anna falls back onto the blue cushions.

The initial shock is broken.

"I must go help Ember." Elsa declares.  
"Be careful, Elsa!" Anna cries.  
"I will." She glances from me back to her sister. "Stay put. No heroics, ok?"  
With that, she attempts to open the door. It seems to have gotten jammed due to whatever it was that hit us. Elsa pushes against it with all her might, but the door refuses to budge.  
"All right then," Elsa grunts. "Have it your way."  
She raises a pale hand high into the air. Honestly, I think she looks silly, but I imagine some would label it as being majestic. 'The Snow Queen Summons Her Powers' ...it does have a majestic feel to it.  
Elsa draws her hand back toward the door. I can see little snowflakes flurrying behind her movement. The flurries become larger and more pronounced the closer they get to their intended destination. They blow the door wide open with enough power to create an entire snowstorm.

Go Elsa! ...I mean, I've seen better, but it was all right.

Elsa glides gracefully out of the carriage and into the battlefield. How does one keep one's grace even during a time like this?

Anna still sits upon the blue cushions. She sighs deeply while smoothing out her skirts to waste time.  
This is ridiculous. Why are we just sitting here?  
I can't possibly be expected to just sit and watch while everyone around me engages in combat.  
We have reinforcements just inside the village. All we need is someone to get to them and ready them.

I can't help but glance up at my Ticker-Moths.

"What do you see there, Ida?" Anna asks, quietly. After all this time we have spent together, it should come of no surprise that she has noticed my habit. I'm sure Elsa has, too.

I bite my lip. I have to make a decision.  
I can help Vallaria Valley with my powers.

"I see Time." I whisper. "Anna, I'm about to disappear. If my brother worries, tell him I went to get the others."  
"Wait, what?" She looks alarmed. "Ida-"

Time stops before she can say anything else.  
Anna is frozen with her blue eyes widened and one arm extending itself toward me.  
She will be just fine.

I step through the open door of the carriage and carefully onto the soft grass of my Valley. I teeter slightly. I will never be nearly as graceful as Elsa.  
My Valley, which was once only green and white, has a new color painted into it.

Red.

Red mingles with the white petals of the Convallaria. Red entwines itself into the blades of the Valley grass. Red swirls into the silver bark of the Betula Pendula.

_There is a valley that was strong  
It grows both white and red  
The grass was fertile, lush and long  
Now everything feels dead._

The sight is making me sick.  
I take a deep breath to keep myself from blacking out.  
Ok Ida, don't go out on me now. Vallaria Valley needs your help.  
Yes, I am giving myself a pep talk. Hey, it works, ok?

I take Espen's ever-familiar pocket watch into the palm of my hand.  
_Skjebne hinsides tid._  
I've got to figure out what these words mean the next time I see Espen.  
I direct the delicate hands to midnight, the destined time.  
My voice rises up. It seems odd to be singing when surrounded by this dismal scene.  
I wish to be transported to my dear best friend.  
The white light encloses itself around me, wrapping me into a familiar, warm embrace.  
When the light fades, I permit my moths to resume their flight. As is routine, the whirlwind overtakes me now. It once was scary to me, but this power no longer presents itself as a threat. I have no fear for my powers, only confidence.  
The whirlwind clears and I find myself back in my world where time ticks on.

I am in Vallaria Valley castle.  
Addie is rushing down the corridor, going in the opposite direction from me.  
I rush after her, tripping only a few times.  
"Adelina!" I call her name.  
This gets her attention. She spins around. Her face changes from it's vexed expression to complete and utter happiness.  
"Ida!" She runs to me and closes me into an embrace. It is nothing like the embrace I have just gotten from the light. This is better.  
"How in Vallaria Valley were you able to get in here?" Addie gasps. She releases me from her hug and looks around nervously to make sure no one is near. "It isn't safe, Ida."  
"I know." I agree. "We need to assemble the villagers. Are they still willing to fight?"  
"Of course."  
"Let us go prepare."  
Addie leads me down a hall. She leads me past the many credenzas shelving the ornate Vallarian vases. These vases still have wilted Convallaria within them.  
Addie pays no heed to the pitiful flowers.  
"I need to get something first." She says.  
I follow her. We are in the servant's quarters now. I must trust her judgment for every turn we make, for I know nothing of where I am down here.  
She opens a wooden door, leading us into a tiny room. I suppose, it is a bedchamber. Oh, this must be Addie's room.  
It has a single cot with a wooden chest resting at it's side. Addie goes directly to this chest and proceeds to open it.  
She rustles around inside the trunk for a few moments, as if searching for something highly important.  
Ah, she must have found it.  
"Put this on, Ida." Addie extends a Convallaria crown toward me.  
It just had to be a Convallaria crown, didn't it?


	28. Chapter 28

Really, Addie?  
We really had to waste all of that time to come here just for you to make me wear this ridiculous crown?  
This was the priority?

"Take it, Ida." Addie still has the Convallaria crown extended toward me.  
I'm sure my face says what I am thinking all too much.

Addie sighs, exasperated.  
She grasps the crown in her hands and flops onto her cot. She pats the spot next to her, indicating that I should sit.  
I'm confused as to why we are not rushing to get the villagers right now.  
I conform to her wishes. I sit down next to her.

"I do not know why your mother never just came right out and told you." She speaks softly.  
I have no idea where this is going.  
"No one outside of the royal family was supposed to know." Addie explains. "But I overheard and found out. I don't think the queen was aware that I knew, but I do in fact know." Get on with it Addie. "The Convallaria have a magical power, Ida."

Wait... the Convallaria have magic? Can it be so?

"The Convallaria have the power to protect." Addie says.  
It takes a few seconds to settle in, but I think I'm beginning to understand now.  
The crowns aren't just an absurd accessory; they are used for protection.  
My mother was protecting me by making me wear it. My mother was protecting all of us.

No, that can't be right. The crown served as no protection to me when Ember's powers sent me to the Land Where Time Stands Still. My theory must be inaccurate.  
I voice this to Addie. "But Ember was still able to hurt me..."  
She nods, as if she already knew I would say this. "Your mother feared Ember. His power was the only power strong enough to overcome the Convallaria. She felt threatened by his abilities. Fear was her enemy. Fear grew into hatred of her own son."

It all makes so much sense.

My mind wanders back to the wilted Convallaria we passed in the corridors of the castle.

"Why are the flowers wilting, Addie?" I ask her.  
"Only your mother was able to unlock the power within the Convallaria." Addie responds. I see sadness on her face. She fiddles with the crown still in her hold. "This was the crown she wore before she disappeared. I found it on the floor and saved it for you. It is the last protective crown we have.  
The flowers cannot protect the castle without your mother's power. They wilt as all other ordinary flowers wilt without her magic."

I can't help but envision the castle's elaborate decorations at all our celebrations. I can't help but remember the pungent odor from all the Convallaria hoarded inside the castle walls.  
I can't help but feel remorse at the memory of throwing out the protective blossoms.

She was trying to protect us.

Vallaria's sake, enough of this!  
I cannot help a single soul by regretting the past. What's done is done.  
I must do what I can now rather than worry about what I had done then.

"Addie," I address my friend. "Are you sure my mother is the only one capable of this power?"  
She cocks her head at me. "Well... I am not aware of anyone else that can-"  
I cut her off. "What about me? I am her daughter. Do you think I could have this power, too?"  
"I don't know, Ida..." She is doubtful.  
I am not. I feel confidence coursing through my body.  
I am a speaker of Time. I can communicate with Ticker-Moths. I already know what it is like to perform magic.  
How much harder can it possibly be to communicate with the Convallaria than it is to speak with my Ticker-Moths?

"Addie, I want you to get the villagers ready for battle." I command.  
I take the Convallaria crown from my friend and place it upon my golden mass of hair.  
I do not have a mirror, but I am positive that I look exactly how Ida is meant to look.

The battle to get my kingdom back is raging on.  
My best friend is going to prepare the remaining troops to join this battle.  
My heart should be racing as the biggest adventure of my life is about to begin.

My heart beats still and steady.

I leave the adventure behind me and go out into the peaceful part of my Valley alone.  
Here, there is no fighting, nor is there any violence.  
There is no red mingling with the green and white.

The grass grows fertile, lush, and long. The coniferous Pinus Sylvestris and the slender, silver-barked Betula Pendula are scattered along the rolling terrain.  
The Convallaria grow up from the innermost depths of the earth.

I stand here in my Valley; all is quiet and all is calm.

I breathe in the sweet fragrance of my Convallaria.

All things have the capability to be spoken to if one has been given the right knowledge.  
In the Ticker-Moths case, this knowledge was acquired by the Time-Keeper's book.  
In Ember's case, the fire was given directly to him by Fate.  
What if Fate has given me my own gift? What if Fate had passed my mother's abilities down to me, as well?

Using the same techniques as I do with my Ticker-Moths, I speak out to the Convallaria spread out over the Valley.  
In a voice that is commanding, yet as fragile as their white petals, I say, "Beautiful Convallaria, you are marvelously glorious flowers and I know that you are capable of great power. I need you to help me save my kingdom and my family. Only you are able to accomplish this task of protecting my people. I just need to unlock the power that lies within you. What I ask of you is something so simple for such powerful blossoms as you. I know that you can do this. In the name of Vallaria Valley, I ask that you grant my request."  
I whisper softly, "Please."

At first, nothing at all happens. I am beginning to doubt my attempt much as I did with the Ticker-Moths that very first time. This worry proves to be foolish.

The Valley wind blows the Convallaria's fragrance along with their whispers.  
Indignantly, I hear one say, "We care for this lovely area."  
A chorus erupts in my ears.  
"We are the Convallaria."


	29. Chapter 29

Far across the expanse of my Valley, on the complete opposite side from where I am, I can see flashes of blue and red. They alternate from one another.  
I can envision Ember and Elsa standing back to back, lifting their hands up in the majestic way that they do when performing magic.  
Elsa undoubtedly looks elegant as she shoots ice shards out from her pale hands.  
Ember must be strong and fearsome. His fiery eyes must be burning with an intensity even greater than what is usual.

All of this excitement is happening a great distance from me.  
What am I doing out here while all this goes on?  
I am doing what any Vallarian would do preceding the grand celebration of the restoration of the monarchy: I am collecting Convallaria.  
These Convallaria will not be used for mere decoration of the throne room, nor of the ballroom. These rooms are not in need of the Convallaria's magic right now.  
The Convallaria will be used to adorn my fellow soldiers with their protection.

I expertly weave the enchanted blossoms together into perfect Convallaria halos.  
I find that the flowers seem to entwine themselves into their proper places with minimal effort from me. If we were only relying on my work alone, I would probably still be on my first crown. Thank goodness the Convallaria are submissive!

I make haste. I have probably been gone for a great deal of time.  
I have a substantial pile of Convallaria crowns now.  
Vallaria's sake, how am I going to get all of these back to the village?  
Oh, no worries; I can always teleport myself there and back, taking several trips to deliver the Convallaria to my waiting people.  
I laugh a little at the simplicity of it all.  
My powers make everything so easy, both the Convallaria and the Ticker-Moths.  
The Ticker-Moths still hold my favor. Perhaps it is because I have been developing the bond between us for a much longer time than the newfound Convallaria.

I retrieve Espen's golden timepiece from my pocket.  
_Skjebne hinsides tid._  
My heart longs to know the meaning of the words. I make a mental note to ask Espen when all this war nonsense has passed.  
Remembering Etias' reaction to the words, I wonder what could possibly be so offensive about them.

The moths already know what is desired of them. They obey my command before I need say it.  
Time stops around me.  
I maneuver the hands on the pocket watch to midnight.  
Still clenching the watch in the palm of my hand, I collect a massive pile of Convallaria into my arms. Petals and pollen clings onto the fabric of my Arendelle dress.  
I have no worries of the fragrance settling onto me because I know that it will only serve as another layer of protection.  
I sing the rhyme which the moon had taught me.  
I do not have a drop of doubt dripping through my heart. I have confidence flowing like a mighty river.  
I materialize in the dead center of the village square.

The village square has a cobblestone Convallaria flower spreading itself out from the middle of the square. The stones are painted marvelously white.  
I am standing on the exact center of this flower.

A whirlwind swirls itself around me as the moths begin to orbit again.  
I cling tighter onto my Convallaria to keep these winds from blowing the blossoms away from me.  
The wind tears into my tresses, wishing to snatch the crown from atop my head.  
"Oh, please don't." I gasp. "It was my mother's."  
The winds die down. The moths flutter in a gentle manner.  
I could have sworn the rips in their delicate wings were smaller before.

My focus is torn away from my moths as the atmosphere around me sinks in.

The villagers are gathered in the square. Addie is among them.  
She appears to be supplying each individual with a weapon and as good a uniform as she can manage.  
Leave it to Addie to have been hoarding away supplies for this day.

"Addie!" I call out to her.  
Arms full of Convallaria, I rush to her side.  
"You've returned!" My friend is elated by my presence. Her smile fades quickly. "Oh, Ida, I don't know if I can send them out to fight."  
"Why ever not?"  
"Look at them..."

My eyes sweep over the square, over each individual face.  
They are not the ideal warriors one would wish to have fighting alongside them in battle.  
These people are used to singing and dancing, not fighting and killing.  
They each have some sort of weapon held tightly in their hands. Some have swords, some have spears, and some even have pitchforks that have probably come directly from the barn.  
A few have managed to get a hold of shields. Most, however, do not have any protection whatsoever.

"I think I have something that will help." I drop the crowns onto the cobblestone ground of the village square.  
Addie looks down upon them. Her eyes widen upon the sight of so many Convallaria crowns. I'm not sure if she is surprised that I have found the power of the Convallaria within me or if she is merely shocked that I have had so many of the "disdainful" flowers in my hold.  
She looks back up from the flowers. I see tears sparkling in her eyes. Oh Addie, please do not do this now.

"Your mother would have been proud." My friend whispers to me. She reaches out and squeezes my hand.

With that, she moves on from that display of emotion by handing out the enchanted crowns to the villagers.  
I can see that we will be needing many more.

The Ticker-Moths are already aware of my wish. They abide by it without even needing my consent. They know me so well.  
I'm sure that I have vanished from behind Addie. She is probably so hopelessly busy that she did not even notice.  
I teleport myself back out into the Valley to retrieve more Convallaria from my stash.

I return to the square in no time at all, bearing more crowns for my Vallarians.  
I expect to see a scene very similar to the one I had left.  
The scene is not at all like the one I had left.

The battle has broken out in the village square.


	30. Chapter 30

I find myself dodging around the clanging of swords and the grunting of fighting warriors.  
It is dangerous, but I have to get the crowns to both the Arendelle army and my Vallarian villagers.

I shove the crowns into the hands of any of my soldiers who near.  
"It will protect you!" I call out before they are swept away back into the battle.

I nudge my own crown back into place. I was never good at keeping them on. I never had any reason to before.

I continue on my quest, handing out the Convallaria crowns whenever the opportunity presents itself.  
I am trying to get to the flashes of blue and red. I know I will find Ember and Elsa at the core of these flashes.  
I must supply them with their own protective crowns. There is no doubt in my mind that they are being targeted by Han's army more than any of the others.

A spear whizzes past my head.  
Oh my!  
My hand flies up over my heart. I take a few deep breaths before continuing on.  
I have on the Convallaria crown. I will be safe.  
I slip discreetly around a corner.

There they are!  
Several yards away, Ember and Elsa can be seen shooting fire and ice out into the streets of Vallaria Valley. I notice that they are being very careful not to actually hurt anyone with their powers; they merely hinder them.  
Elsa creates a wall of ice to protect one of my Vallarians from an oncoming attack.  
Ember shoots smoke into the eyes of our enemies.  
They look as though they are directing a symphony of magic together, as they wave their hands smoothly through the air.  
They make a marvelous team.

I feel that familiar jealousy grip my heart. I hate watching them together.  
I should be by Ember's side. I am his sister.

My fist tightens around the crowns I had intended to give them. My knuckles are white from holding on too tight.  
The flowers disintegrate in my hands.

I rush away from Ember and Elsa.  
They seem to be handling themselves just fine without me.  
Ember doesn't need me anymore, that much is clear.

I rush back through the square in the opposite direction.  
I rush around spears and swords. I rush around warriors and villagers.  
I rush around the Ticker-Moths.  
There is a vast number Ticker-Moths present. There are many humans, but many more moths.  
They flutter around their fighting warriors.

All I can see is pandemonium around me.  
How can there possibly be so much chaos in one central location?

"Here," I hand a crown to a passing villager. "Put it on. It will protect you."  
"Thank you." They manage to say before more bodies close in the space around us.

I squint through the moths and the soldiers, through both enemies and allies.  
I feel completely useless here.

Suddenly, I am swept off my feet and onto the backside of a horse with white and brown splotches.  
I let out a little scream as the horse takes off at full speed.  
The rider chuckles. He happens to have one chunk of hair sticking straight out.  
I calm myself down.  
"Oh, Espen, it is only you!" I gasp.  
I wrap my arms around his waist to keep myself steady.  
The horse is flying through the square. I fear we might trample someone.

This is not entirely how I had fantasized riding off with Espen.  
I'm not going to complain.

"I see you've managed to keep yourself alive." I tease him.  
"I am glad to see that you have, as well, Princess Ida." He steers us around a corner.  
I savor the sound of the "clip-clops" of the horse's hooves against the cobblestone. It reminds me of the "tick-tocks" in Espen's workshop.  
I reach into my pocket and grasp one of the few crowns I have left.  
I smooth down his hair with my fingers and rest the crown atop his head.  
"For protection." I whisper.

"Ida, Ida!" I hear a girl's voice calling my name.  
Out of the corner of my eye, I can see a girl with two strawberry blonde braids waving her hands wildly in the air. Anna is trying to get my attention.  
I feel alarmed by the tone of her shouting. She sounds afraid.  
"Stop the horse, Espen!" I shriek.  
The horse's hooves scrape against the stone as Espen yanks on the reigns. We halt, abruptly.

I slide off of the horse's back, nearly tumbling onto the ground. I can feel Espen following after me, although he seems to have much more experience at dismounting than I.  
I run to Anna.  
She is in tears.  
Anna is usually so alive with excitement. She is usually so bubbly and enthusiastic. Her blue eyes usually sparkle like the ocean water surrounding her kingdom. It is strange to see her like this.  
Something dreadful must have happened.

She takes my hand and pulls me inside a nearby building.  
I do not resist.

Upon entering the dimly lit room, I can see enough to make out a group huddled in the far corner.  
Anna leads me to this group.  
The closer we get, the harder it becomes for me to breathe.  
I can feel it in my bones that I will not like what I find here.  
I can feel it in the depths of my soul that something terrible has occurred.

We are close enough now that I can see a figure sprawled out on the floor in the middle of this group.  
It is a girl with hair so blonde, it is nearly white. She is pale and has a frigidness about her.

Yes, it is Elsa.

Elsa lies there with her eyes closed as if she is merely sleeping.  
Her messy braid is even messier from the exertion of the battle.  
Her body is limp.

Elsa isn't sleeping. Elsa has been hurt.

Red has seeped through the blue fabric of her gown.


	31. Chapter 31

You are a monster, Ida.

All I can do is stare at Elsa's figure lying on the hard floor.  
All I can do is listen to the sobs coming from somewhere deep inside of Anna.  
All I can do is nothing.

I feel a firm hand on my shoulder. I already know that it is Espen. He is comforting me.  
No comfort can possibly be found.  
This is my fault.

Why did I not give Elsa the Convallaria crown? Why did I walk away when I could have protected her?

"Where is Ember?" I manage to get out.  
"He's fighting Hans." Anna answers me. Her voice is strained with tears. "They went into the castle."  
I can't even look at her. I know my guilt will be all too evident upon my face.  
I turn on my heal and walk determinedly out of the building.  
My powers are strong.  
I can stop Hans. I can stop him, once and for all.

"Ida, what are you doing?" Espen follows after me. He stumbles to catch up to me as I make my way through the Vallarian roads. The fighting out here is still going strong. The war is raging on. "Where are you going?"

Espen is getting in my way again.  
Why must the people I love always be getting in the way?

"Espen, go back where it is safe." I order him. "I have something I must do."  
"Ida, are you all right?" He latches onto my arm. I pull away.  
I leave him behind me without looking back. I have to get to the castle.  
"You don't know what you are doing!" He calls after me.  
A chill goes up my spine.

I see violet eyes flash in my memory.  
_"You don't know you're doing."_ I hear Etias' voice in my mind.

No, I know exactly what I am doing.

The moths stop for me. They know exactly what they're doing.  
They follow my instruction. They listen to my every wish.  
My wish at this particular moment is that they stop; they have done exactly this.

"Horologi etatis  
My wish upon the clock is  
That to my brother I might go  
Before too late; aliquando  
Midnight destined time it is  
Horologi etatis"

I materialize in a corridor of Vallaria Valley castle.  
Before me, my brother and my ex-betrothed stand together as frozen statues.  
Judging by their stances, I know that they are in the midst of swordplay.  
I am ready to save my brother.

The moths begin to flutter in the usual way that moths do.  
The whirlwind wraps itself around me. I clasp the Convallaria crown to my messy golden tresses.  
_Tick tock, tick tock..._  
I hear that marvelous sound coming from my precious pocket watch. It is like sweet music to my ears.  
The wind dies down.

Hans and Ember have come to life. They are no longer statues halted in defensive positions.  
I hear the clinging of swords above the ticking of my timepiece.  
They are fighting one another. Both appear to be experienced swordsmen.

Ember catches my eye.  
"Ida?" He is taken aback. He halts for a beat.  
Hans knocks Ember to his feet.  
My lovely ex-betrothed takes off running down the corridor, past the many wilted Convallaria flowers.  
"Ember, are you all right?" I kneel down next to him. I hate myself for distracting him.  
"Ida, I could have sworn that you just materialized before my eyes!" He gasps.  
"Stay here." I pat his black mop of hair down. "I'll take care of this."

No one else has to get hurt.  
I am powerful enough to defeat Hans alone.

I leave my brother there on the floor and take off after Hans.  
I hear Ember's cries of protest from behind me.  
Ignoring him, I dash down the corridor. I dash up a flight of stairs and down another hall. I know exactly where Hans is leading me. I take a right.  
The door to Hans' bedchamber is shut, declaring to all the world to leave him in peace.  
Do I seem like the kind of person to leave someone in peace?  
As I walk cautiously toward the door, the familiarity of it all comes over me.  
I remember all too well the Day of Elinika when I had found out Hans' true colors.

The door is locked. This is of no hindrance to me because I can simply teleport myself inside.  
I do exactly this.

Hans is quite frightened when I materialize before him.

"So we meet again, Hans." I spit out with angry heat.  
He jumps and backs away from me. He backs himself into the wall behind him, just as he had the very first time when I returned from the Land Where Time Stands Still.  
His Ticker-Moths still have that very same ominous feel about them.

"Just tell me what you want and it will be yours..." His hazel eyes are petrified of me.  
I enjoy his being petrified all too much.  
"I want my parents, you scumbag!"  
His presence changes.  
A sinister sound escapes his lips. It is a cackle of some sort.  
He pushes me away from him and I fall to the ground, just as Ember had before me.  
"You ask for the one thing I cannot give you." Hans laughs. He is not petrified anymore. "Your parents are dead."

A coldness surges through my body.  
"It can't be..." I refuse to believe this. "No, you're lying!"  
"I am a very good liar, Ida." Hans snorts. "But this time I am telling the truth. I made sure that your parents would never walk the face of this earth ever again."

Every harsh emotion rises up into whirlwind within me.  
I feel envy, fear, rage, and hate like I have never felt them before.

My eyes rest on the Ticker-Moths surrounding Hans.  
He thinks he is so powerful.  
He knows nothing.  
I am far more powerful than Hans could ever hope to be.

I hear whispers in my mind.  
_"Stop his time."  
"Send him far away so that he will never return."  
"He deserves it."  
"Do to him exactly what he did to your parents."  
"Do it, Ida."_

The door to the bedchamber blows open. I can see flames licking the walls. I can smell the toxic fumes of the smoke.

"Ida!" Ember has come between Hans and I.  
He is in the way. Why must people always be getting in my way?

The whispers overcome me.  
_"No one can stand in your way."  
"Ember is an obstacle. Remove him."  
"Make him vanish."  
"Stop his time."  
_  
My hands are shaking. My entire body is shaking.  
My eyes settle on Ember's Ticker-Moths.  
The wings of these moths are slightly singed. Their gemstones flicker like minuscule candles. They flutter around him in a gentle manner.  
I can make them stop. I can get him out of my way.  
I can remove him so that I can take vengeance on Hans.

_"Do it, Ida."  
_  
"No!" I fall to the ground and let the sobs overtake me.

_Conceal. Don't feel._

I almost did exactly what Ember did to me.  
I almost killed my own brother. 


	32. Chapter 32

I am in my bedchamber alone.

Ember and Anna are with Elsa.  
Espen and Addie are with Hans.  
The battle is over.

I suppose they thought it was in my best interest to have some time to calm down.  
I will never calm down.

My parents are dead.  
I hurt Elsa.  
I almost killed Ember.

Where did this all go so entirely wrong? When did I lose all control over my powers? Did I ever have any control over them to begin with?

I take a deep, shuttering breath.

Everything in my room seems colorless and lifeless to me.  
My Ticker-Moths are circling me. Their wings are tattered and torn.  
I feel just as tattered and torn as they are.  
I scream out, trying to get the pain to leave my body.  
It is useless. Will the pain ever leave?

Memories of my mother and father swirl around me.  
I grasp at them desperately.

_"The only thing standing between you and what you want is time."  
_  
I try to ignore the whispers, but it is as useless as trying to rid of the pain.  
I am lost to my own powers.  
My attention is focused now upon the eight little moths orbiting around me.

Something dawns within me as a new revelation is thrust into my mind.  
If I can make time stop and go, then who is to say that I cannot make time turn backwards?  
New determination rises up inside me.  
I've got nothing left to lose.

I am going to go back in time.  
I am going to go back and save my family, just as I have always dreamed I would do.

I do not have any need to ask the Ticker-Moths of anything. They already know what I wish from them.  
They stop abruptly.  
I am uncertain as to what they will do next. I have never experimented with this part of my abilities before. I was never aware that I had this ability before.  
Starting out very slowly, the Ticker-Moths begin to glide backwards.  
It is unnatural to see them flying in reverse like this.

_"Ida, I could have sworn that you just materialized before my eyes!"_ I can hear my brother gasp. I see him nowhere in sight.

_"Your mother would have been proud."_ Addie's voice comes from somewhere faraway.

The moths fly faster and faster. The wind from their wings tangles my already messy hair.

Anna's question swirls around me along with the moths. _"What do you see there, Ida?"_  
Elsa's warning flies out from the same nothingness as all these other peculiar memories. _"Please be careful in the woods alone, Ida"  
_  
_"Are you all right, Princess Ida?"_ I can hear my Espen's words, but his kind eyes are nowhere to be found.

_Each time a Ticker-Moth is communicated with, the bond between the individual and the moth becomes stronger._

_"Ah, I see where this leaves me."  
"Olaf will stay and help you!"_

_"King Ember and Queen Elsa, the princess of a faraway kingdom is here to be in your presence."_

_"We are all as much of prisoners here as you are in this dungeon." _Addie can be heard pleading with me.  
_  
Precautions must be taken so that they do not overcome you and your mind._

_"They mean nothing."_  
_"They must mean something!" _I hear myself argue.  
_"No, it is absolute foolishness that means nothing."_

_"Do tell me about your cousins."  
"Ah, Deimos and Phobos."_

_Ticker-Moths can be communicated with just as anything else can be if given the right knowledge_.

The moths are whirling around backwards at break-neck speed. Faster and faster, even as I am sure they have reached their limit.  
Is it really healthy for them to be flying at such a pace as this?

_"They said I was inadequate! Incompetent! Useless!" _I hear the pain in my brother's voice.

_Unnatural elements cannot result in natural deaths._

Hans cackles._ "I've got that silly princess wrapped around my finger."_

_"Here's some of my work."_

_Time is necessary for the existence of human life. Without it, all would fade away into a world where there is no time at all._

_"You can't just marry someone after knowing them for a day."_

_"These flowers are quite beautiful, just as you are."_

_"He'll be here at any time! Do you really want to meet him looking like that?"_

_Within the pages of this book is the knowledge of the Time Keeper. It is a knowledge known specifically by the Time Keeper and by him alone._

Something shatters from deep within me.  
The fragile wings of the Ticker-Moths cannot hold on any longer.

A blinding white light overcomes me. It is far more blinding than any light I have ever experienced before.  
I am sent somewhere between Time and Death.  
The light does not fade away.  
I lie there in it's magnificence.  
My Ticker-Moths lie scattered on the glowing floor around me. Their wings are nothing but powdery remains.

I cry like a pitiful, little girl.  
I take Espen's golden pocket watch once more into the palm of my hand.  
_Skjebne hinsides tid._  
I will never know what these precious words mean.  
It is of no more use to me.  
I throw it far away into the abyss of blinding light.


	33. Chapter 33

I do not know how long I remain here.  
I reckon that I could use my usual argument that there is no time.  
How do I know that there is no time? I have no Ticker-Moths.  
I think it is safe to say that there is no time.  
There will never be any more time for me.

After what feels like forever, I hear footsteps echo.  
What could the sound possibly be reverberating off of? I will not pretend to know.  
There are no walls. There is nothing.  
We could spend a great deal of time (Vallaria's sake, must I go on about this time thing again?) discussing the echoes, but there is something much more important to be spoken of.  
Whom are these footsteps coming from?

I open my eyes, just the tiniest bit, and peak out at the world around me.  
There isn't all that many interesting things to look at.  
This world is nothing, save for the blinding light that engulfs me.  
My eyes immediately ignore the uninteresting light and make contact with the purple robes coming toward me.

Etias glides smoothly through the light as if he is the master of it.

I imagine I am about to get every ounce of the Time Keeper's wrath. It is probably long overdue.

He comes closer and closer.  
His violet eyes do not waver from my face.  
He kneels down next to me.

"Ida." He says in a voice that is surprisingly soft.

He scoops the fragments of my Ticker-Moths into his hands.

"I didn't know what I was doing." I whisper.  
"I know." Etias sighs. "I know that you did not."  
"I'm sorry." I feel hot tears welling up in my eyes.  
"Hush." He taps his fingers against my lips. His skin is unnaturally soft.  
"I have been doing much reading of late." Etias informs me.  
He always reads. I don't know why he says this as if it should be some kind of shocking news.  
He chuckles. "No, Ida. I mean that I have been reading from all the books on the shelves. Not just my own."  
Etias read his brother, the Wizard Fate's, books? I do not know the entirety of what this means, but I know that it is significant.  
"I've learned much." He goes on.  
"I thought you knew everything?" I speak now.  
Etias shakes his head. "No, I was hindered by my inability to see past the rules of time."

He takes something out from the pockets of his purple robes. He takes my hand in his. I can feel the familiar form of my timepiece pressed between our hands.  
"Skjebne hinsides tid." Etias whispers to me. "Fate beyond time."  
"Fate beyond time." I repeat, slowly.  
I have finally figured out the meaning of the words engraved into my dear, golden timepiece.

"I did not understand what it meant before." Etias tells me. "I resented anyone who believed Fate could reach beyond the rules of time. I understand it now."  
He draws closer to me still. He brushes his lips tenderly against my forehead.  
I feel the warmth tingle there even as he pulls away.

"Are you ready to return home, Ida?"  
Home? Vallaria's sake, what is this nonsense the Time Keeper speaks of? He has seen the state of my Ticker-Moths. There will be no returning home for me.  
He laughs again. It reminds me of wind chimes. "You have no faith, Ida."  
I watch him as he lifts his own hands to his lips and blows a single breath into them.  
He opens his hands and lets me peak at the magic he has performed.  
Right there, glimmering in the palms of his hands, are eight new Ticker-Moths.  
Their wings shine radiantly with the iridescence from their gemstones.

Etias scatters them in their proper places around me.  
With the click of his fingers, I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that they will begin their orbits around me again.

"I only ask one thing of you, Ida."  
"Yes?"  
He looks hesitant. "Please, let me erase the knowledge of the Ticker-Moths from your mind."  
My heart skips a beat. I can feel the emotions rushing back in all at once: the envy, fear, rage, and hate.  
No, these emotions do not belong here anymore.  
This knowledge is only meant for the Time Keeper. I am not the Time Keeper and I cannot play Time Keeper any longer.  
I nod my consent.

He draws his hand toward the very same place he just kissed on my forehead.  
I feel my body recoil.  
No, Ida; let it go.  
My body relaxes. I let Etias take the knowledge away from me forever.

It feels different without it. Admittedly, it is a good different.  
With ridding of the powers of the Ticker-Moths, I find that I also am rid of the envy, fear, rage, and hate.

"Goodbye, Ida." Etias smiles at me. He looks beautiful when he smiles.  
"Goodbye, Etias." I wrap my arms around him. I embrace the Time Keeper.  
I will not be seeing him again.

As I let go of him, I know that the Ticker-Moths begin to swirl around me in the usual way that moths do. I know this even though I can no longer see them.  
The whirlwind encases my body.  
I can feel my mind slipping farther and farther away from any knowledge whatsoever of the Ticker-Moths.

I know one thing for certain:  
By letting me return to my home, the Time Keeper has gone against the rules of time.

**_A/N: Tomorrow will be the last chapter! :)_**


	34. Chapter 34

I feel as though there are still a great deal of questions lingering in the air.  
I can only assume that you wish for me to tie up any loose strings.  
I hope you know how much pressure you are putting me under by having me do so.  
My impressive storytelling will become completely useless if the ending is utterly pathetic. I mean, how many stories have you read only to be met with disappointment at the very end?  
I hope with all that is within me that this story will not be at all like that.

Etias sent me back to the land where time ticks on.  
I reckon I could have asked him to send me back to the day when Prince Hans of the Southern Isles first arrived in Vallaria Valley.  
The Time Keeper was very gracious to me on that day and he might have abided by my wishes.  
However, I found that it was no longer my heart's desire to go back in time.  
Fate has a purpose for everything. After all, Fate never hiccups.  
I was pleased to be sent back home to my bedchamber, to the very moment before I had decided to turn back time.  
Everything was different.  
No, not in the world around me, but what was _in_ me had changed.  
No longer was I held back by envy, fear, rage, and hate.

I went to be by Elsa's side. My brother and Anna were here, as well.

"Let us give Ida a moment alone." Anna ushered Ember out of the room. He did not seem to want to leave Elsa's side. I found that to be understandable. She was his wife after all.  
Elsa smiled up at me.  
It brought me great joy to see that she had regained consciousness.  
"I'm sorry, Elsa." I told her, meaning every word with all that I was.  
"None of this is your fault." Elsa replied, graciously.  
"You don't understand..." I sighed. "I had a protective crown I was going to give you, but I was envious of the relationship you have with my brother. I could have saved you, but I didn't because there was jealousy in my heart."  
Elsa clasped my hand into hers. It was unnaturally cold.  
"You were being manipulated by something bigger than yourself." She spoke to me. "Are you free now?"  
I nodded. Elsa understood me so very well.

"The blizzard." It was my turn to give back to Elsa. "He is just fine, Elsa."  
"Is he?" She let out a little, joyous giggle. "Thank you, Ida."

Elsa healed quickly.  
She was able to return to Arendelle with Ember and their remaining soldiers.

What became of Hans, you ask?  
Hans was shipped out, yet again, back to the Southern Isles.  
Anna went along to make sure he arrived and that the situation was explained in full to his parents.  
I reckon Anna enjoyed having Hans in her custody just a little bit too much.

We were never told exactly what happened to Hans, but we were ensured that he would not be a nuisance to us again.  
I could care less about specifics.  
I am glad that Hans will never set foot inside Vallaria Valley again.

I imagine that you are wondering what happened to me.  
I got married... not to a man I had only known for one day.  
I had known Espen for what felt like forever. I suppose it only felt like forever because I had to live in a timeless nothingness before I could get back to him.  
I have never regretted marrying Espen.  
He is the most perfect king Vallaria Valley could ask for. I say this simply because Espen is everything but perfect. That's exactly why I love him.

Vallaria Valley was restored.  
Our people were free to sing and dance. We were all free to have as many gatherings and celebrations as we pleased.  
At these celebrations, there was always bound to be hoards of Convallaria decorating the castle. The Vallarian vases were filled with fresh Convallaria bouquets.  
These Convallaria were not only for decoration, but also for protection.

I wore a Convallaria crown every single day.  
I also wore many beautiful gowns, embellished with the Convallaria.  
These gowns fit exactly right. I was through with the days when I wore dresses that hindered my breathing.  
I did not ever wear mint green, nor did I wear chartreuse.  
A new fabric had been invented. It was very prismatic. It reminded me of the Time Keeper and his clock tower.  
I started a new Vallarian trend by wearing iridescent ball gowns.  
Addie, who became my lady's maid (and remained my dearest friend), helped me ready myself every day.  
Whenever I looked into the mirror, I saw Ida exactly how she was meant to be.

Vallaria Valley became renowned for it's unprecedented clocks. Our clocks were as marvelous as Arendelle's. I reckon it is because we have the same clock maker.

Every so often, I find myself glancing at the grandfather clock in the Vallaria Valley castle library. It is ever so queer, but sometimes that darn clock gets stuck at midnight, even when it is in the middle of the day.  
I like to imagine it is Etias' message to me.

A little bird told me that he gets along rather well with his brother now, making frequent visits to the Kingdom On The Top Of The World. No, I'm not meaning this figuratively. The bird actually said this to me. I freaked out and swatted at it like a lunatic.

Last but not least, the information that I know you have all been sitting on the edge of your seat for: what became of my darling cat, Kissa?  
She finally came to terms with the fact that I have mysteriously come back from the dead.  
She accepts me only because I feed her fish and chicken. Kissa always had a weakness for fish and chicken.

I think that it is safe to say that I am excited for my future with Espen.  
I am excited to have a future at all!

_Tick tock, tick tock  
Holding a golden clock  
It always tocks, it always ticks  
Always a different time to pick  
It always moves, it always shifts  
Always a different time to drift  
Tick tock, tick tock  
Holding a golden clock  
Always a change, always a switch  
Always a timed and ticking twitch  
Always a stir, always a slip  
Always the hands will loosen their grip  
Tick tock, tick tock  
Holding a golden clock  
It always tocks, it always ticks  
Always a different time to pick  
Clocks always change, clocks always chime  
Fate always goes beyond Time  
Tick tock, tick tock  
Forever holding my golden clock._

Sometimes I have crazy dreams where people have moths that flutter around them.  
That sounds preposterous, does it not?  
I believe you know me well enough now to understand that I believe in things regardless of how preposterous they might seem.  
I remember very vividly The Land Where Time Stands Still. I remember the sun, the moon, and the Time Keeper.  
I remember there was a magical book, but I can never seem to remember what was within this book.

One word stinks out to me.  
_Ticker-Moths._  
All right, perhaps that is two words.  
It does not particularly matter how many words it is. It means nothing to me. I do not know what it means, or if it even means anything at all!  
It is preposterous, but as I have already said, I believe in preposterous things.  
I believe in Ticker-Moths, whatever they might be.

My story is coming to a close, as I really don't have anything of importance left to say.

I will leave you with this: make use of every minute of time that you have. You never know what you have until it is gone. You never know what you have until you find yourself in a land where there is no time at all.

I should think that was a very dramatic and satisfying ending, do you not agree?

The End

**_A/N: I think it's safe to say that another Frozen fanfic has officially come_**  
**_to a close!_**

**_As I assume most of you are aware, this story is the Sequel to my other Frozen_**  
**_fic "The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway", which is written in Elsa's_**  
**_point of view._**  
**_Writing this story was a bit different, however, because it is written in my_**  
**_OC's point of view._**

**_I was on the fence about this story. I will be the first to admit that the plot_**  
**_line is a little bit out there._**  
**_I am glad I followed through with it because I think the result was very_**  
**_original and (hopefully) interesting._**

**_Are we ready for some fun facts?_**

**_-While Arendelle is a kingdom inspired by Norway, Vallaria Valley is a_**  
**_fictitious kingdom based in Finland._**

**_-Kissa means "Cat" in Finnish. I envisioned Kissa as a Maine Coon._**  
**_Maine Coons are the second largest breed of cat in the world._**

**_-Finland's national flower is the Lily of the Valley (Convallaria Majalis). As_**  
**_you have probably noticed by reading it's scientific name, this is what the_**  
**_Convallaria flowers in my story are based off of._**

**_-Betula Pendula (Silver birch) and Pinus Sylvestris (Scots pine) are both types_**  
**_of trees that can be found in Finland. The Birch is Finland's national tree._**

**_-Elinika means "age" in Finnish. The coming of age ceremony literally_**  
**_means "Day of Age"._**

**_-Etas is Latin for "Time". This is what Etias was derived from. The_**  
**_Time Keeper's name actually means "Time". I should think that was an_**  
**_appropriate name to give him. :)_**

**_-I'm going to break down some of the unusual words from the rhyme Ida uses to_**  
**_teleport herself. "Etatis" also means "Time" in Latin. "Aliquando" is_**  
**_another Latin word; it can be used to mean "Before too late". "Horology"_**  
**_is the study of time._**

**_-Deimos and Phobos are the moons of Mars. Deimos means "dread" in_**  
**_Greek, while Phobos means "fear". Hence, we have the moon's story_**  
**_about his two cousins. One was dreaded by all (at first) and the other feared all._**  
**_Everyone was bound to find out at some point that Deimos was as much a chicken_**  
**_as his brother, right?_**

**_-Klokke means "Clock" in Norwegian. Therefore, we have Espen Klokke,_**  
**_our clockmaker._**

**_-I repeated the phrase "Skjebne hinsides tid" all throughout the story. It is_**  
**_finally revealed to mean "Fate beyond time". This is Norwegian, as Espen is the_**  
**_Norwegian clockmaker who inscribed the words into the watch._**

**_-Ida is loosely based off of Anna. Could you tell?_**

**_-This fanfic took me approximately 30 days to write._**

**_I'm not entirely sure what my next project is going to be._**  
**_As of this moment, I am not planning on furthering this series (two stories_**  
**_can't technically be specified as a series, but you know what I mean)._**  
**_If I do write more Frozen fanfics, they will most likely not have anything to_**  
**_do with the ones I have previously written._**  
**_However, I will not throw it completely out because I may have a killer idea_**  
**_randomly pop into my head tomorrow or the day after._**  
**_If you'd like to share your input with me, that'd be totally welcome!_**  
**_Regardless of what it ends up being, it will probably be a while before I post_**  
**_anything new._**

**_I enjoyed reading y'all's comments and reviews!_**  
**_It's always so much fun for me to hear where y'all think the story is going to_**  
**_go (some of y'all had some really awesome ideas, by the way)._**  
**_Thank y'all so much for your wonderful comments!_**

**_Until we meet again,_**

**_~Aubri_**


End file.
